Esra Karataş AlpayTürkiye’s fifth-generation fighter jet, KAAN, has earned major validation for the country’s technological ambition and strategic credibility through a landmark export deal.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently announced that 48 KAAN jets would be sold to Indonesia, marking not only a historic agreement but also a turning point in Türkiye’s defence trajectory.
The agreement represents a growing international confidence in Türkiye’s capacity to deliver advanced, battle-ready technologies.
“Within the framework of our agreement with our friend and brother Indonesia, 48 KAAN jets will be produced in Türkiye and exported,” President Erdogan shared via his official social media account.
“We will also benefit from Indonesia’s local industrial capabilities during production.”
The deal, which followed a series of high-level diplomatic visits between the two countries, marks a major shift in how Turkish defence products are perceived: not just as affordable alternatives, but as dependable, cutting-edge assets.
“This agreement reveals the strength of our domestic defence industry,” the president said.
“I congratulate all institutions involved, especially our Defense Industry Agency and TUSAS, for their roles in securing this historic deal. I hope this partnership brings prosperity to both nations, and I extend my sincere gratitude to President Subianto (of Indonesia) for his leadership and vision.”
A fighter jet the world demands
KAAN embodies the peak of Turkish aerospace engineering as a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft.
It stands out as a next-generation platform with its advanced manoeuvrability, low radar signature and artificial intelligence-driven avionics.
Engineered for superior performance in both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations, KAAN reflects Türkiye’s strategic pursuit of self-reliance in defence technologies.
At the heart of KAAN’s success story is Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS). The firm’s CEO, Mehmet Demiroglu, explains how the aircraft’s structured development and performance roadmap have fueled growing demand.
“The KAAN project is proceeding according to plan,” Demiroglu tells TRT World.
“Our second prototype is expected to fly by the end of 2025 or early 2026, followed by a third shortly after. Our goal is to have at least two — ideally three — KAAN jets flying simultaneously in 2025.”
Full-scale deliveries to the Turkish Air Force, the general manager says, are scheduled to begin by late 2028 or early 2029.
TUSAS expects to produce 500 units by 2034, a target that reflects both international demand and institutional confidence in the platform’s future. “KAAN is the crown jewel of a national transformation in aerospace engineering,” Demiroglu says.
Speaking about his company’s roadmap, he says TUSAS is entering new markets with a goal of increasing its revenue from approximately $3 billion last year to $4.3 billion in 2025.
The company, which has grown to nearly 16,000 employees, now operates in the United States, Europe, and across Asia.
“We work closely with global aerospace leaders such as Boeing, Airbus, and Spirit Aerosystems, supported by over 400 advanced manufacturing systems,” Demiroglu adds.
Powering trust: the TF35000 engine
For a fifth-generation fighter to earn global trust, propulsion must match ambition. That is where TEI’s TF35000 engine comes in.
Mahmut Aksit, CEO of TUSAS Engine Industries (TEI), in an exclusive interview with TRT World shares details about the engine's significance: “KAAN is being developed not only as an airframe but as a fully indigenous system. Together with our partner TRMOTOR, we are developing the aircraft’s heart — the TF35000 engine — entirely with domestic capabilities.”
The engine’s design delivers 35,000 pounds of thrust at sea level, optimised fuel efficiency, and a unique architecture suited for fifth-generation combat needs.
“TF35000 is not just an engine project,” he says. “It is the construction of a national ecosystem, from high-temperature materials and test infrastructure to production capacity and engineering excellence.”
The TF35000 engine will power the 48 KAAN units destined for Indonesia.
“With this, we are not only exporting a fifth-generation fighter jet — we are exporting the most complex and mission-critical component, developed and manufactured by Türkiye. This is a transformative leap toward strategic technological independence,” Aksit says.
KAAN as a strategic signal
Defence analyst Arda Mevlutoglu offers independent insights into what makes KAAN a globally credible product.
“KAAN is a fifth-generation combat aircraft still undergoing testing. It’s expected to enter full operational service in the early 2030s. When complete, it will become the backbone of the Turkish Air Force’s strike capability,” Mevlutoglu tells TRT World.
“The agreement with Indonesia is a powerful signal. Acquiring such a strategic platform requires long-term commitment and trust, and this deal highlights the growing confidence in Türkiye’s aerospace sector.”
He emphasises KAAN’s role beyond air combat, citing its domestically built engine and advanced avionics. The fighter, he says, will enhance Türkiye’s deterrence in the skies.
“It’s a statement of national capability and future readiness.”
From prototype to power-broker
KAAN’s first flight in February 2024 marked a symbolic and technological milestone. Its name, unveiled by President Erdogan at the Century of the Future event in 2023, has since become synonymous with a new defence era for Türkiye.
“We’re witnessing more than a defence contract,” President Erdogan had said. “We are witnessing the emergence of a sovereign aerospace power.”
The momentum continues. At the 55th Paris Air Show, Baykar, Türkiye’s leading UAV manufacturer, signed a joint venture with Italy’s Leonardo to co-develop next-generation unmanned systems. The partnership is another vote of confidence in Turkish engineering.
From fighter jets to drones, from national assembly lines to global launchpads, Türkiye is no longer simply building weapons — it is building “sovereign aerospace power”, as President Erdogan puts it.
