Spain opens talks for acquiring KAAN fighter jets after ditching F-35

After passing on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, Spain is now reportedly exploring Türkiye’s domestically developed KAAN jet as a possible way to close a looming capability gap amid growing uncertainty surrounding Europe’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program.

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) confirmed that preliminary government-to-government talks with Spain are underway regarding a potential acquisition of the fifth-generation fighter, as reported by Spanish defense outlet Infodefensa.

Speaking at last week’s SAHA 2026 International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition in Istanbul, TAI Chief Executive Mehmet Demiroğlu said Spain had expressed interest in “a superior fifth-generation fighter” as a possible long-term solution for its air force modernization plans.

Demiroğlu stressed that the discussions remain at an early stage and are progressing through both political and technical channels, suggesting that any future deal would likely take the form of a state-to-state agreement.

Stalling delivery of alternatives

Madrid’s interest in the KAAN first emerged in October 2025, only months after Spain officially ruled out purchasing the American-made F-35 in August of the same year.

Spain had previously allocated €6.25 billion (around $7.24 billion) in its 2023 defense budget for the acquisition of new combat aircraft. At the time, the expectation was that Madrid would choose between additional Eurofighter Typhoons and the FCAS program — the next-generation fighter initiative jointly pursued by France, Germany, and Spain.

However, the FCAS project has become increasingly uncertain due to persistent disagreements between Paris and Berlin over industrial work-sharing and program leadership. Even if those disputes are resolved, the aircraft is not expected to enter operational service before the mid-2040s after repeated delays.

Against that backdrop, Spain’s consideration of the Turkish KAAN is particularly notable given that many NATO allies already operate the F-35, which would ordinarily offer stronger interoperability advantages. Türkiye itself has long sought to rejoin the F-35 program to strengthen its own air force capabilities.

According to the Spanish outlet, Madrid’s decision to move away from the F-35 may also reflect broader political tensions with Washington. These reportedly include disputes over defense spending, disagreements over Spain’s stance on the Iran war and Israel's actions in Palestine and neighbouring countries, as well as a public row with US President Donald Trump after Spain refused to allow American forces to use Spanish air bases for operations linked to Iran.

Türkiye’s flagship fighter project

The KAAN — previously known as the TF-X — is Türkiye’s flagship fifth-generation fighter program developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries. The stealth-capable multirole aircraft is designed for both air superiority and precision strike missions and is viewed as a cornerstone of Ankara’s efforts to achieve greater strategic autonomy in advanced defense technologies.

Its development represents one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by Türkiye’s aerospace industry and reflects the country’s broader push to establish itself as a serious player in next-generation military aviation.

At SAHA 2026 in Istanbul, several components intended for the aircraft were displayed publicly, including a massive 42,000-pound-thrust-class turbofan engine. The engine project is widely seen as particularly significant because it could propel Türkiye into the highly exclusive group of nations capable of independently developing high-thrust engines for fifth- and sixth-generation combat aircraft.

So far, that club has effectively been limited to only a handful of powers — primarily the United States, China, and Russia.

While the talks remain preliminary, Spain’s interest in the KAAN highlights how shifting geopolitical tensions and delays in European defense programs are increasingly reshaping procurement decisions across NATO.

For Ankara, a potential deal with Spain would mark a major breakthrough for the KAAN program on the international market, for which so far talks have been going on with Saudi Arabia and Indonesia regarding its export.

By Nazrin Sadigova