Saudi Arabia interested in purchasing 100 Türkiye’s next-gen fighter jet, KAAN

Following the acquisition of Bayraktar Akıncı drones, Saudi Arabia has shown interest in Türkiye's national fifth-generation fighter jet, KAAN.

Two countries have begun negotiations for comprehensive cooperation in the defence industry, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

Defence industry head Haluk Görgün welcomed a delegation in Istanbul, which included Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Defence Minister Khaled bin Hussein Al-Biyari and the Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force, Turki bin Bandar Al Saud.

The talks, which marked the beginning of collaboration on large-scale projects like KAAN, will last for three days. It has been noted that Saudi Arabia intends to purchase 100 KAAN aircraft.

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is on track to deliver Türkiye’s first home-grown fighter jet, KAAN, to the Turkish Air Force within the next five years. This ambitious project, which began in 2016, aims to replace Türkiye’s ageing F-16 fleet and reduce the nation's dependence on foreign defence imports. KAAN, initially designed as a fifth-generation fighter jet, boasts stealth capabilities, twin engines generating 13,000 kilograms of thrust each, and speeds up to Mach 1.8.

TAI is also working on a sixth-generation version of KAAN, incorporating artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, and integration with unmanned platforms, positioning Türkiye at the forefront of global sixth-generation technology development.

KAAN’s delivery will mark a significant milestone for Türkiye’s aviation industry, which has seen rapid growth since TAI’s earlier successes with the Hurkus trainer aircraft (2013) and the Hurjet trainer and light attack aircraft (2023). These developments have laid the foundation for KAAN, demonstrating Türkiye's ability to design and produce advanced military aircraft locally.

The KAAN project has attracted international interest, particularly from countries in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe, eager to collaborate with Türkiye.

By Aghakazim Guliyev