Türkiye’s KAAN fighter jet sparks global interest VIDEO

Türkiye’s cutting-edge next-generation fighter jet, KAAN, is making waves on the global stage. 

Breaking Defense unveils in a latest article that Türkiye's ambitious next-generation fighter jet project, known as KAAN, has generated significant interest from foreign nations, including a Gulf country reportedly “seriously considering” joining the development, according to Mehmet Demiroglu, General Manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Demiroglu revealed that while the fighter jet is currently being developed exclusively by Turkish companies, there is ongoing international interest in the program.

“There are lots of interest [from a] number of countries, but these things are taking a lot of time and high-level decisions,” he said in an interview at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi. “It will be a joint program.”

In 2024, Turkish media outlets reported that Saudi Arabia was in talks to procure 100 KAAN fighter jets, though both Ankara and Riyadh have yet to officially confirm these reports. Saudi Arabia has also expressed interest in joining other competing fighter jet initiatives.

The KAAN programme hit a milestone in 2024 with the successful flight of its first prototype. Demiroglu shared his expectation that the second and third prototypes will take flight by the end of this year or early next year, followed by intensive testing. He emphasized that TAI is focused on shortening the testing phase to meet the goal of delivering the first production models to the Turkish Air Force by 2028-2029. TAI confirmed in May 2024 that the delivery of 20 KAAN jets is expected by 2028.

While Demiroglu reaffirmed the delivery timeline, he acknowledged that it could be subject to change, given the unpredictable global landscape.

“No one can guarantee that this is going to happen at [a] specified time, because the world is in a different place compared to 10 years ago,” he said.

TAI's experience with prior projects, including the Hurkus and Hurjet aircraft, along with advancements in computing and testing, is expected to expedite the KAAN’s development. Demiroglu expressed confidence that the timeline for KAAN’s production would be shorter than that of similar programs, such as the US-made F-35.

Describing the KAAN as a fifth-generation fighter jet with sixth-generation capabilities, Demiroglu also highlighted TAI’s ongoing collaboration with Turkish UAV maker Baykar, focusing on developing manned-unmanned teaming features for the KAAN. At IDEX, TAI showcased a model of the KAAN alongside the Hurkus 2, a trainer and light attack turboprop aircraft.

While Demiroglu did not reveal specifics about the talks with Saudi Arabia, he confirmed that Turkish industry is engaged in “very, very, very advanced discussions” with the Kingdom on several initiatives. 

“We are in discussion to find out the best collaboration model,” he said. He said he was confident that during 2025 Turkish firms “will announce at least a couple of big projects” with the Kingdom.

The Hurkus 2, which was also on display at IDEX, has attracted interest, Demiroglu noted, with the Turkish Air Force’s endorsement of the platform further validating its quality. TAI is negotiating export deals for the Hurkus trainer and light attack versions with Gulf nations, as well as countries in Africa, Central Asia, and the Far East.

Looking ahead, Demiroglu emphasized that over the next five years, TAI's focus will be on “how fast we can deliver [and] how cost competitive these platforms will be without sacrificing any bit from the quality.”

By Naila Huseynova