Breaking News: Türkiye secures $10 Billion KAAN Stealth Fighter Jet Export to Indonesia in largest defense deal ever
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On June 11, 2025, Türkiye’s Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) secured the largest defense export agreement in the Republic’s history, as Indonesia signed a $10 billion contract for 48 KAAN fifth-generation multirole fighter jets. Finalized at the Indo Defence 2025 exhibition in Jakarta, this unprecedented arms deal not only reshapes Ankara’s role in global defense exports but also signals a major strategic realignment in the Indo-Pacific. With Indonesia aiming to diversify away from Western suppliers, the acquisition of KAAN jets brings both technological autonomy and geopolitical depth.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The KAAN deal has deep implications for the Indo-Pacific balance. Indonesia, situated at the crossroads of maritime tensions in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, faces increasing pressure from China’s naval expansion. The stealth and sensor superiority of the KAAN gives Jakarta new tools for area denial, surveillance, and deterrence in contested airspaces (Picture source: Turkish Aerospace Industries)
The KAAN, formerly known as TF-X, is a domestically developed fifth-generation fighter jet designed by TAI to replace Türkiye’s aging F-16s and directly compete with advanced platforms like the U.S.-built F-35 and China’s J-20. Featuring stealth capabilities, twin engines, and a modular architecture, the aircraft boasts a top speed of Mach 1.8, a 600-nautical-mile combat radius, and integrated sensor fusion, including AESA radar and infrared search-and-track systems. Designed for multirole air superiority and strike missions, KAAN also includes future capabilities for AI integration and drone teaming, key characteristics of next-generation air combat systems. The aircraft made its maiden flight in February 2024 and will transition from U.S.-made F110 engines to Turkish-made powerplants by 2030.
Development of the KAAN began in earnest in 2016, gaining critical momentum after Türkiye’s ejection from the U.S. F-35 program in 2019. With TAI leading the effort and support from BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce in early phases, the KAAN program gained strategic autonomy as Ankara pivoted toward indigenous defense solutions. KAAN’s second test flight took place in May 2024, and six prototypes are currently in production. Türkiye plans to deliver its first 20 KAANs to the national air force by 2028. The export variant for Indonesia will be co-produced using both Turkish and Indonesian industrial inputs, integrating domestic Indonesian capabilities under a technology-sharing model.
Indonesia’s decision to acquire the KAAN signals a bold shift in its airpower doctrine. Compared to its $8.1 billion Rafale deal with France or the canceled $1.14 billion Su-35 purchase from Russia, the $10 billion KAAN deal presents a future-proof alternative. With stealth, drone integration, and modular avionics, KAAN surpasses the Rafale in radar evasion and system flexibility, while avoiding the export control and political baggage that often accompany Western platforms like the F-35. At a unit cost of approximately $208 million, KAAN offers a cost-effective path to next-generation airpowern, especially when compared to the F-35’s lifecycle cost, which can exceed $400 million per jet.
Strategically, the KAAN deal has deep implications for the Indo-Pacific balance. Indonesia, situated at the crossroads of maritime tensions in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, faces increasing pressure from China’s naval expansion. The stealth and sensor superiority of the KAAN gives Jakarta new tools for area denial, surveillance, and deterrence in contested airspaces. Moreover, the agreement fosters bilateral strategic ties with Türkiye, opening doors for joint defense production and cooperation beyond airpower. Ankara’s flexible, no-strings-attached approach to arms exports contrasts with U.S. policies and positions Türkiye as a rising power in the multipolar arms market.
Budget-wise, the $10 billion KAAN deal consumes more than Indonesia’s entire 2024 defense budget, which stood at roughly $9 billion. However, the inclusion of technology transfers and local production offsets some economic constraints, aligning with Jakarta’s long-term goals of defense industrialization. The agreement builds on previous cooperation with Türkiye, including joint drone development and missile co-production projects signed earlier in 2025. It also strengthens Indonesia’s political position as a non-aligned nation capable of forging strategic ties without overdependence on Western or Chinese suppliers.
Türkiye’s defense industry stands to benefit significantly from this breakthrough. In 2024, Turkish defense exports rose by 106% over four years, placing Türkiye 11th globally, according to SIPRI. The KAAN contract will further boost Turkish Aerospace Industries’ projected revenues to $2.4 billion annually by 2029. The agreement also sets the stage for future exports to countries like Saudi Arabia, which is reportedly considering a 100-unit KAAN purchase, Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Malaysia. As Turkish Defense Industry President Haluk Görgün expands Ankara’s defense diplomacy network, the KAAN becomes both a commercial and geopolitical asset.
This record-breaking contract not only validates Türkiye’s technological ambitions but also accelerates its deadlines for full-scale KAAN production. Delivering 48 aircraft within 120 months will require rapid industrial scaling, local engine readiness, and tight logistics coordination. The pressure to meet deadlines may in turn accelerate TRMotor’s engine development, reduce foreign dependency, and set standards for future sixth-generation programs. Success in Indonesia could act as a reference case for other nations weighing their options beyond the F-35 or China’s offerings.
The $10 billion KAAN agreement marks more than a business success, it reshapes the global defense landscape. Türkiye has entered the elite club of nations exporting fifth-generation fighters, while Indonesia has positioned itself as a defense innovator rather than a passive consumer. As global defense alliances shift, the KAAN stands as a symbol of strategic autonomy, technological ambition, and the emergence of new poles in military power. This deal will not only bolster Türkiye’s aerospace future but could redefine arms procurement strategies across the Global South.
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On June 11, 2025, Türkiye’s Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) secured the largest defense export agreement in the Republic’s history, as Indonesia signed a $10 billion contract for 48 KAAN fifth-generation multirole fighter jets. Finalized at the Indo Defence 2025 exhibition in Jakarta, this unprecedented arms deal not only reshapes Ankara’s role in global defense exports but also signals a major strategic realignment in the Indo-Pacific. With Indonesia aiming to diversify away from Western suppliers, the acquisition of KAAN jets brings both technological autonomy and geopolitical depth.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The KAAN deal has deep implications for the Indo-Pacific balance. Indonesia, situated at the crossroads of maritime tensions in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, faces increasing pressure from China’s naval expansion. The stealth and sensor superiority of the KAAN gives Jakarta new tools for area denial, surveillance, and deterrence in contested airspaces (Picture source: Turkish Aerospace Industries)
The KAAN, formerly known as TF-X, is a domestically developed fifth-generation fighter jet designed by TAI to replace Türkiye’s aging F-16s and directly compete with advanced platforms like the U.S.-built F-35 and China’s J-20. Featuring stealth capabilities, twin engines, and a modular architecture, the aircraft boasts a top speed of Mach 1.8, a 600-nautical-mile combat radius, and integrated sensor fusion, including AESA radar and infrared search-and-track systems. Designed for multirole air superiority and strike missions, KAAN also includes future capabilities for AI integration and drone teaming, key characteristics of next-generation air combat systems. The aircraft made its maiden flight in February 2024 and will transition from U.S.-made F110 engines to Turkish-made powerplants by 2030.
Development of the KAAN began in earnest in 2016, gaining critical momentum after Türkiye’s ejection from the U.S. F-35 program in 2019. With TAI leading the effort and support from BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce in early phases, the KAAN program gained strategic autonomy as Ankara pivoted toward indigenous defense solutions. KAAN’s second test flight took place in May 2024, and six prototypes are currently in production. Türkiye plans to deliver its first 20 KAANs to the national air force by 2028. The export variant for Indonesia will be co-produced using both Turkish and Indonesian industrial inputs, integrating domestic Indonesian capabilities under a technology-sharing model.
Indonesia’s decision to acquire the KAAN signals a bold shift in its airpower doctrine. Compared to its $8.1 billion Rafale deal with France or the canceled $1.14 billion Su-35 purchase from Russia, the $10 billion KAAN deal presents a future-proof alternative. With stealth, drone integration, and modular avionics, KAAN surpasses the Rafale in radar evasion and system flexibility, while avoiding the export control and political baggage that often accompany Western platforms like the F-35. At a unit cost of approximately $208 million, KAAN offers a cost-effective path to next-generation airpowern, especially when compared to the F-35’s lifecycle cost, which can exceed $400 million per jet.
Strategically, the KAAN deal has deep implications for the Indo-Pacific balance. Indonesia, situated at the crossroads of maritime tensions in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, faces increasing pressure from China’s naval expansion. The stealth and sensor superiority of the KAAN gives Jakarta new tools for area denial, surveillance, and deterrence in contested airspaces. Moreover, the agreement fosters bilateral strategic ties with Türkiye, opening doors for joint defense production and cooperation beyond airpower. Ankara’s flexible, no-strings-attached approach to arms exports contrasts with U.S. policies and positions Türkiye as a rising power in the multipolar arms market.
Budget-wise, the $10 billion KAAN deal consumes more than Indonesia’s entire 2024 defense budget, which stood at roughly $9 billion. However, the inclusion of technology transfers and local production offsets some economic constraints, aligning with Jakarta’s long-term goals of defense industrialization. The agreement builds on previous cooperation with Türkiye, including joint drone development and missile co-production projects signed earlier in 2025. It also strengthens Indonesia’s political position as a non-aligned nation capable of forging strategic ties without overdependence on Western or Chinese suppliers.
Türkiye’s defense industry stands to benefit significantly from this breakthrough. In 2024, Turkish defense exports rose by 106% over four years, placing Türkiye 11th globally, according to SIPRI. The KAAN contract will further boost Turkish Aerospace Industries’ projected revenues to $2.4 billion annually by 2029. The agreement also sets the stage for future exports to countries like Saudi Arabia, which is reportedly considering a 100-unit KAAN purchase, Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Malaysia. As Turkish Defense Industry President Haluk Görgün expands Ankara’s defense diplomacy network, the KAAN becomes both a commercial and geopolitical asset.
This record-breaking contract not only validates Türkiye’s technological ambitions but also accelerates its deadlines for full-scale KAAN production. Delivering 48 aircraft within 120 months will require rapid industrial scaling, local engine readiness, and tight logistics coordination. The pressure to meet deadlines may in turn accelerate TRMotor’s engine development, reduce foreign dependency, and set standards for future sixth-generation programs. Success in Indonesia could act as a reference case for other nations weighing their options beyond the F-35 or China’s offerings.
The $10 billion KAAN agreement marks more than a business success, it reshapes the global defense landscape. Türkiye has entered the elite club of nations exporting fifth-generation fighters, while Indonesia has positioned itself as a defense innovator rather than a passive consumer. As global defense alliances shift, the KAAN stands as a symbol of strategic autonomy, technological ambition, and the emergence of new poles in military power. This deal will not only bolster Türkiye’s aerospace future but could redefine arms procurement strategies across the Global South.
