Indonesia Secures $10 Billion Deal for Türkiye’s KAAN Stealth Fighters in Major Defence Breakthrough

Defence affairs - D.S.A

This high-profile procurement establishes Indonesia as the first Southeast Asian country to operate the Turkish-developed KAAN, positioning Jakarta as a pivotal air power in the Indo-Pacific region.

The KAAN, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), is Türkiye’s ambitious response to being cut from the U.S. F-35 program and is now being propelled into the export market with Indonesia as its first foreign operator.

“Under the agreement signed with our friendly and brotherly nation, Indonesia, 48 KAAN fighter jets will be produced in Türkiye and exported to Indonesia,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared in a bold diplomatic statement.

“Indonesia’s local capabilities will also be utilized in the production of KAAN,” Erdoğan added on the social media platform X, highlighting industrial collaboration that mirrors the model of next-gen aerospace co-production.

According to Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency, the production and delivery of the KAAN jets will be spread over a 10-year timeframe, signaling a long-term strategic partnership between Ankara and Jakarta.

The agreement was formally sealed during the Indo Defence 2025 expo in Jakarta, one of the region’s largest defence exhibitions and a platform for burgeoning military-industrial diplomacy.

President Erdoğan hailed the deal as a testament to the advancement of Türkiye’s defence industry, now emerging as a formidable player in the global fifth-generation fighter jet arena.

“This agreement showcases the progress and achievements of our domestic and national defense industry,” Erdoğan emphasized, underscoring Ankara’s pursuit of defence autonomy and its growing geopolitical footprint.

He also extended praise to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for his critical role in securing the agreement, signaling strong personal and strategic ties between the two leaders.

Jakarta’s multibillion-dollar investment in the KAAN comes on the heels of its USD 8.1 billion (RM36 billion) procurement of 42 Rafale multirole fighters from France’s Dassault Aviation, showcasing Indonesia’s intent to diversify and modernize its air combat capability.