Jakarta Becomes First Foreign Operator of Türkiye’s KAAN Fifth-Gen Fighter in Landmark Aerospace Pact

In a momentous breakthrough for Türkiye’s defence export ambitions and Indonesia’s military modernization roadmap, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has signed a contract to deliver 48 KAAN fifth-generation stealth fighter jets to Jakarta, in a strategic agreement valued at approximately USD10 billion (RM46.8 billion).

The unprecedented deal, finalized during the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025 in Istanbul, represents Türkiye’s largest-ever defence export and firmly positions Indonesia as the first international operator of the KAAN stealth platform.

Signed with Indonesia’s PT Dirgantara Indonesia and PT Republik Aero Dirgantara, the agreement encompasses far more than fighter jet deliveries—it includes end-to-end collaboration in production, engineering, industrial localization, and technology transfer.

According to TAI’s announcement on its official X platform, “We have signed a significant agreement with Indonesia for the KAAN project. The agreement signed with PT Republik Aero Dirgantara and PT Dirgantara Indonesia covers the procurement of 48 KAAN Turkish Fighter along with cooperation in production engineering and technology sharing.”

The comprehensive 120-month delivery timeline will see KAAN fighters assembled and integrated with engines manufactured in Türkiye, while new production and maintenance facilities will be established in Indonesia to support domestic capability-building and sovereign sustainment of the stealth fleet.

Haluk Görgün, President of Türkiye’s Defence Industries, described the agreement as a geopolitical and industrial milestone, noting it follows a government-to-government framework signed in June that laid the groundwork for this transformative partnership.

“I am filled with gratitude to be able to witness this moment together. We are excited, and at the same time, proud,” Görgün said, emphasizing the historical nature of the deal and its significance for Türkiye-Indonesia defence ties.

 

Görgün further underlined Türkiye’s commitment to support Indonesia in establishing a robust domestic defence industrial base, particularly in the aerospace domain, enabling long-term cooperation in aircraft production, engineering, and lifecycle sustainment.

This multi-billion-dollar procurement marks Indonesia’s bold leap into fifth-generation air combat capabilities, aligning its defence posture with global trends and addressing evolving threats in a region marked by escalating tensions in the South China Sea, strategic competition among great powers, and growing grey-zone operations.

For Türkiye, the export deal serves as a powerful validation of the KAAN program’s global relevance, turning the once-isolated indigenous fighter project into a viable competitor in the elite fifth-generation fighter jet market—one traditionally dominated by U.S., Chinese, and Russian platforms.

Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries as a direct response to Türkiye’s expulsion from the U.S. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program following its acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defence system, the KAAN project represents Ankara’s strategic pivot toward defence self-sufficiency and non-aligned industrial growth.

Launched in 2016 and previously known as TF-X or Milli Muharip Uçak (National Combat Aircraft – MMU), the KAAN stealth fighter is designed to perform multirole missions in contested airspace, boasting stealth shaping, internal weapons bays, networked warfare capability, and enhanced survivability against advanced enemy air defences.

The jet achieved a key milestone during its maiden flight in February 2024, reaching an altitude of 8,000 feet and cruising at 230 knots—an event celebrated nationally as a breakthrough for Türkiye’s indigenous aerospace capability.

Flight testing of the second and third prototypes is scheduled to commence by late 2024 and early 2025, respectively, with TAI intensifying development to prepare for initial production batches.

Significantly, nearly all subsystems of the KAAN are indigenously developed, with notable exceptions including the current engine, ejection seat, and flight control stick—underscoring Türkiye’s growing technological independence in combat aviation.

By 2029, TAI aims to achieve a production rate of two KAAN jets per month, generating an estimated USD2.4 billion (RM11.2 billion) in annual revenues and firmly anchoring the aircraft as the centerpiece of Türkiye’s defence export strategy.

For the Turkish Air Force, the KAAN is expected to replace more than 200 aging F-16 Fighting Falcons, ensuring a smooth transition to an all-indigenous, fifth-generation combat fleet supported by local logistics, MRO, and mission systems architecture.

Mass production is projected to begin in 2028, with the first 20 KAAN Block 10 jets delivered to the Turkish Air Force in the same year, marking the start of operational deployment and force integration.

Türkiye aims to field over 100 KAAN fighters by 2032, establishing itself as one of only a handful of countries globally with a large-scale indigenous fifth-generation air combat capability.

In a move that reflects growing maritime ambitions, Ankara is also exploring a navalized variant of the KAAN jet to operate from its future aircraft carrier MUGEM (Milli Uçak Gemisi), which is currently under development as part of Türkiye’s expanding blue-water doctrine.

Speaking to Turkish defence media, Naval Design Project Office (DPO) director Albay Ucar confirmed that studies are underway to adapt the KAAN for carrier-based operations, stating: “If the carrier-based variant of KAAN is developed, we are coordinating with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) to ensure full compatibility for takeoff and landing operations.”

This potential naval version of the KAAN, if realized, would mirror developments seen in U.S. F-35B/C and China’s J-35 programs, signalling Türkiye’s entry into the elite club of nations with multi-domain fifth-generation strike capabilities across land, air, and sea.

For Indonesia, this deal offers not just platform acquisition but strategic empowerment—gaining access to cutting-edge stealth fighter technology while also building the foundations of an indigenous aerospace manufacturing base, backed by a NATO-tier partner.

The KAAN deal places Jakarta in a privileged position in Southeast Asia’s evolving airpower equation, giving it a clear edge over regional rivals still operating fourth-generation platforms such as the Su-30MKI, F-16C/D, and Su-27SKM.

It also diversifies Indonesia’s military supply chains at a time when reliance on traditional Western and Russian suppliers is becoming increasingly geopolitically sensitive amid global realignments and potential sanctions risks.

In 2022, Indonesia formalized a major defence procurement agreement with France’s Dassault Aviation for the acquisition of 42 Rafale multirole fighter jets, to be delivered in three distinct tranches as part of a long-term strategic partnership.

This landmark deal, valued at approximately US$8.1 billion (RM38.5 billion), represents the largest-ever fighter jet acquisition in the history of the Indonesian Air Force and underscores Jakarta’s commitment to modernizing its ageing aerial fleet.

The procurement includes both single-seat Rafale C and twin-seat Rafale B variants under the advanced F4 configuration, which features upgraded radar systems, enhanced electronic warfare capabilities, and expanded weapon system integration.

The first tranche, involving six aircraft, was signed in early 2022, followed by the second and third tranches in 2023 and January 2024, respectively, completing the order of 42 aircraft.

Deliveries of the first six Rafale jets are expected to commence in early 2026, with subsequent deliveries scheduled over the following years to gradually replace older platforms such as the F-5 Tiger II and supplement the Su-27/30 Flanker fleet.

The KAAN’s entry into Indonesia’s inventory is expected to catalyze regional procurement dynamics, with nations such as Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam likely to assess next-generation alternatives amid intensifying Chinese assertiveness and persistent maritime boundary disputes.

For Türkiye, this breakthrough reaffirms its status as a rising power in global military aerospace exports, capable of competing on technological merit and strategic alignment in a multipolar defence market.

This Türkiye-Indonesia deal thus represents more than just a fighter jet sale—it is a geostrategic handshake, a technological leap, and a loud declaration that the era of indigenous, non-aligned fifth-generation airpower is no longer an ambition, but a reality.