Turkey and Saudi Arabia Consider Joint Investment in Fifth-Generation Kaan Fighter Jet
Ankara and Riyadh deepen defence ties with talks to collaborate on Turkey’s advanced stealth warplane project amid broader military cooperation agreements
Turkey and Saudi Arabia are exploring a potential strategic partnership to develop and invest in a next-generation fifth-generation fighter aircraft as part of expanding defence industry cooperation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced.
The proposal centres on joint involvement in Turkey’s indigenous Kaan stealth fighter project, which aims to deliver a domestically designed and built warplane with advanced capabilities to replace existing fleets and position Ankara among a select group of nations capable of producing cutting-edge combat aircraft.
Erdoğan disclosed that Ankara and Riyadh signed major defence cooperation deals during high-level talks, and that positive international feedback on the Kaan programme has opened the door to potential Saudi investment.
He described the aircraft as more than a military asset, characterising it as “a symbol of Türkiye’s engineering capability and independent defence will,” and noted that a formal partnership could be implemented “at any moment.”
The Kaan project, led by Turkish Aerospace Industries, achieved its maiden flight in early 2024 and is progressing toward serial production, which is targeted for the late 2020s.
Ankara has already secured export agreements, including a significant deal to supply dozens of aircraft to Indonesia, underscoring the jet’s export potential and Turkey’s growing role in the global aerospace market.
Saudi Arabia’s interest in the programme aligns with its wider ambitions to enhance its defence capabilities and diversify military partnerships beyond traditional suppliers.
Riyadh has previously pursued acquisition of advanced combat aircraft and continues to seek options that fit its strategic priorities under its long-term modernisation plans.
The talks with Ankara reflect strengthened diplomatic and economic ties between the two governments, which have also concluded agreements in other sectors during recent visits.
While formal terms of any co-development or investment remain under discussion, the possible collaboration signals a deepening of defence industrial ties between Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Ankara has emphasised that its primary focus remains fulfilling national defence requirements, with export and partnership opportunities pursued alongside sovereign capability development.
The proposal centres on joint involvement in Turkey’s indigenous Kaan stealth fighter project, which aims to deliver a domestically designed and built warplane with advanced capabilities to replace existing fleets and position Ankara among a select group of nations capable of producing cutting-edge combat aircraft.
Erdoğan disclosed that Ankara and Riyadh signed major defence cooperation deals during high-level talks, and that positive international feedback on the Kaan programme has opened the door to potential Saudi investment.
He described the aircraft as more than a military asset, characterising it as “a symbol of Türkiye’s engineering capability and independent defence will,” and noted that a formal partnership could be implemented “at any moment.”
The Kaan project, led by Turkish Aerospace Industries, achieved its maiden flight in early 2024 and is progressing toward serial production, which is targeted for the late 2020s.
Ankara has already secured export agreements, including a significant deal to supply dozens of aircraft to Indonesia, underscoring the jet’s export potential and Turkey’s growing role in the global aerospace market.
Saudi Arabia’s interest in the programme aligns with its wider ambitions to enhance its defence capabilities and diversify military partnerships beyond traditional suppliers.
Riyadh has previously pursued acquisition of advanced combat aircraft and continues to seek options that fit its strategic priorities under its long-term modernisation plans.
The talks with Ankara reflect strengthened diplomatic and economic ties between the two governments, which have also concluded agreements in other sectors during recent visits.
While formal terms of any co-development or investment remain under discussion, the possible collaboration signals a deepening of defence industrial ties between Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Ankara has emphasised that its primary focus remains fulfilling national defence requirements, with export and partnership opportunities pursued alongside sovereign capability development.
