Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced a historic agreement to produce and export 48 KAAN fifth-generation fighter jets to Indonesia, Anadolu Ajansı reported.
The deal, finalised at Jakarta’s Indo Defence 2025 Expo, marked the nation’s largest-ever defence export contract. Erdoğan hailed it as a triumph for Turkey’s domestic capabilities, crediting the Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB) and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for their pivotal roles.
The $5.6-billion contract stipulates delivery within 120 months, with all jets equipped with Turkey’s domestically manufactured engines. However, the agreement extends beyond hardware, as it encompasses comprehensive technology transfer and joint production leveraging Indonesia’s industrial capacity.
SSB President Haluk Görgün emphasised the partnership’s significance, stating that the project, led by TAI with Indonesia’s defence firms, served as an example of “joint production, technology sharing, and strategic cooperation.” TAI General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu added that the deal positions Turkey as “a source of trust for allies”, reflecting Ankara’s growing aerospace prowess.
KAAN, which completed its maiden flight in 2024 reaching 230 knots at 8,000 feet, elevates Turkey into an elite group of fifth-generation jet producers. Communications Director Fahrettin Altun framed the agreement as instrumental to Century of Turkey vision, advancing “independence and high technology in defence.”
The partnership strengthens Indonesia’s air capabilities amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea, providing a counterweight to China’s regional dominance. For Turkey, the deal accelerates its ambition to reduce dependence on Western arms suppliers, a strategy galvanised by F-35 programme exclusion in 2019.
