Türkiye, Saudi Arabia signal joint investment in Kaan fighter jet

Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are moving toward deeper cooperation in the defence sector, with joint investment in Türkiye’s homegrown fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, Kaan, firmly on the agenda, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, Daily Sabah reports.

Speaking to reporters aboard his return flight from Cairo, Erdoğan said Ankara had received strong international interest in the Kaan program and indicated that a partnership with Riyadh could materialize at any time. “We have received a lot of positive feedback on Kaan. There is a joint investment with Saudi Arabia in this area, and we can implement this partnership at any moment,” Erdoğan was quoted as saying.

The Turkish president stressed that Ankara and Riyadh had signed “major” defence industry cooperation agreements and underlined Türkiye’s determination to further expand them. “We have deep-rooted relations with Saudi Arabia that have cultural and historical dimensions. We signed important agreements during this visit to further develop these relations,” he said.

Erdoğan noted that Türkiye’s growing defense industry capabilities are drawing increasing global attention. “The progress our country has made in the field of defence industry is being followed with interest by Saudi Arabia, as it is by the whole world,” he said. While emphasizing that Türkiye’s priority remains meeting its own defense needs, Erdoğan added that Ankara also seeks to support its allies. “We are signing important cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia in the field of defense industry and we are determined to develop this further.”

Describing Kaan as more than just a military platform, Erdoğan said: “Kaan is not just a fighter jet. Kaan is a symbol of Türkiye’s engineering capabilities and independent defense will.” He added that growing international influence in the sector would naturally lead to more partnerships.

The remarks followed Erdoğan’s two-day regional tour, which included visits to Saudi Arabia and Egypt. In Cairo, Türkiye and Egypt signed multiple agreements across various fields, including a military framework agreement. Erdoğan also presented Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi with a Togg, Türkiye’s domestically produced electric vehicle.

In Saudi Arabia, officials from both countries highlighted the strength of bilateral ties and ongoing coordination in trade, investment, defense, renewable energy, and digital transformation. The two sides also signed an energy agreement involving around $2 billion in investment to build two solar power plants in Türkiye’s Sivas and Karaman provinces, with a combined capacity of 2,000 megawatts in the first phase.

Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), Kaan was unveiled in 2023 and completed its maiden test flight in early 2024, with serial production expected to begin in 2028. Türkiye has already secured international interest, including a deal signed last year to sell up to 48 jets to Indonesia.

By Vafa Guliyeva