Türkiye seals historic deal to export 48 KAAN fighter jets to Indonesia PHOTO/VIDEO

Turkish aerospace firm TUSAŞ has reached a major milestone in international defence cooperation with the signing of a landmark export agreement for its KAAN national combat aircraft.

The deal, announced during the INDO Defence 2025 exhibition in Jakarta, will see 48 fifth-generation KAAN fighter jets produced in Türkiye and exported to Indonesia.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed the agreement in a post on his official X account, highlighting the strategic importance of the deal for Türkiye’s defence industry and bilateral ties with Indonesia, per Caliber.Az.

"Under the agreement we signed with our friend and brother Indonesia, 48 KAANs will be manufactured in Turkey and exported to Indonesia," Erdoğan stated. He also noted that Indonesian domestic capabilities would be integrated into the production process of the KAAN aircraft, enhancing local participation in the program.

Millî muharip uçağımız KAAN ile ilgili çok önemli ve güzel bir gelişmeyi milletimle paylaşmak istiyorum…

Dost ve kardeş Endonezya ile imzaladığımız anlaşma çerçevesinde 48 adet KAAN, Türkiye’de üretilerek Endonezya’ya ihraç edilecek.… pic.twitter.com/D9wZ33wzgz

— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) June 11, 2025

The Turkish leader described the agreement as a testament to the rapid progress and maturity of Türkiye’s indigenous defence sector. "I hope that this agreement, which demonstrates the development and level achieved by our domestic and national defence industry, will be beneficial for both Türkiye and Indonesia," he said.

Erdoğan expressed particular appreciation for Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, crediting his strong leadership and political will for facilitating the deal. "I would like to express my greetings and gratitude to my esteemed colleague, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who made a significant contribution to the signing of the agreement by demonstrating his will," Erdoğan wrote.

The Turkish president also extended congratulations to all institutions involved in the development and production of KAAN, especially the Presidency of Defence Industries and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), for their role in securing what is now considered the largest defence export contract in Türkiye’s history.

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Indonesia is on the verge of finalising a landmark $10 billion agreement to acquire 48 fifth-generation KAAN fighter jets from Turkish aerospace manufacturer TUSAŞ (Turkish Aerospace Industries, or TAI), marking what could become one of the most significant defence deals in Türkiye’s history and the first international export of the KAAN aircraft.

According to the Clash Report's post on social platform X, negotiations are expected to culminate at the Indo Defence 2025 Expo in Jakarta, per Caliber.Az. 

BREAKING: Indonesia Set to Buy 48 Turkish KAAN Fighter Jets in $10 Billion Deal

Indonesia is reportedly close to signing a $10 billion deal to purchase 48 KAAN 5th-generation fighter jets from Türkiye.

The agreement would mark KAAN’s first international export and one of the… pic.twitter.com/L5FaL8uCyr

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 11, 2025

The talks have been led by Haluk Görgün, head of Türkiye’s Defence Industry Directorate.

Indonesian interest in the KAAN program has been building for some time, driven in part by the fighter’s advanced twin-engine configuration and its ability to carry up to 10 tonnes of munitions, surpassing the payload capacity of the American F-35. The KAAN’s superior combat capability and strategic flexibility appear to align well with Indonesia’s air force modernisation goals.

The highest levels of Indonesia’s leadership have confirmed the country’s intent to participate in the program. During an official visit to Ankara in April, President Prabowo Subianto openly declared Indonesia’s ambition to be involved not only in the KAAN project but also in Türkiye’s domestically developed submarine program (MILDEN).

“Indonesia wants to take part in the fifth-generation KAAN National Combat Aircraft project and similarly wants to participate with the Turkish defence industry in the submarine project. We want to benefit from this,” Subianto stated during a joint press conference with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Should the deal proceed, it would significantly deepen the already strong defense ties between the two nations. Their earlier collaboration on the Kaplan MT (Harimau) medium tank — a joint venture between Türkiye’s FNSS and Indonesia’s PT Pindad — has already proven successful, with the vehicle now in service with the Indonesian military. That experience established a framework for joint production and technology transfer, which is now being expanded through the KAAN initiative.

TAI General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu recently confirmed that international interest in the KAAN program is accelerating. Speaking at the IDEX 2025 defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi, Demiroğlu noted that discussions are underway with three countries, naming Saudi Arabia and Indonesia among them.

“Saudi Arabia has shown interest for a long time, and now that interest is at its highest level. Talks with Indonesia are also progressing well,” Demiroğlu said. While no official international partnership has been formalised yet, he emphasised that such negotiations require time and strategic-level decisions.

If completed, the Indonesian deal would represent a major breakthrough for Türkiye, potentially establishing the country as one of the few nations in the world to export next-generation fighter jets. It would also provide a significant economic boost, with the $10 billion-plus value helping to bring down per-unit costs by scaling up production.

Strategically, the move reflects Indonesia’s intent to diversify its defence procurement. The country has reportedly encountered financial difficulties with its participation in South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae fighter jet program, making the Turkish KAAN a viable and attractive alternative.

By Tamilla Hasanova