Turkey to Export 48 KAAN Fighter Jets to Indonesia

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

Photo: AFP

Turkey has announced that it will sell 48 of its home-made KAAN fighter jets to Indonesia. This is the first time Turkey is exporting these advanced jets, which are still being developed. The announcement was made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday.

Erdogan shared the news in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He said that all 48 KAAN fighter jets will be made in Turkey and sent to Indonesia. He also mentioned that some of Indonesia's own technology will be included in the production of the jets. However, he did not give details about how much the deal is worth.

The agreement was signed during a big defense industry event called Indo Defence 2025, held in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Turkish news outlet Sabah reported on the event.

President Erdogan said, "This agreement shows how much progress Turkey has made in building its own defense systems." He also thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for helping make the deal happen.

President Subianto was present at the event and saw the signing of the deal between Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Turkish Defense Industry Secretary Haluk Gorgun. This information was shared by Indonesia’s State Secretariat Ministry.

Experts believe that defense is a top priority for Subianto. He wants to grow Indonesia’s military power by buying submarines, warships, and fighter jets. He also wants to build stronger defense partnerships with many countries.

In his speech at the opening of the four-day defense exhibition, Subianto said, “No country wants war. But history shows us that if a country does not invest in its defense, it may lose its freedom and become a slave nation.”

While the Turkish Defense Ministry hasn’t given more details or confirmed the cost, local media reports say the deal could be worth around $10 billion.

Indonesia has been working hard to upgrade its military equipment. Since 2019, Subianto has traveled to countries like China, France, Russia, Turkey, and the U.S. to buy new weapons and improve the country's defense.

Right now, the Indonesian Air Force uses fighter jets from different countries like the U.S., Russia, and Britain. Some of these planes are old and will need to be replaced soon.

KAAN is Turkey’s first fifth-generation fighter jet and made its first flight in 2024. The first batch of jets is expected to be delivered by 2028.

This deal also comes at a time when Turkey and Indonesia are building closer ties. Earlier in 2025, both countries agreed to build a drone factory in Indonesia with the help of Baykar, a top Turkish drone company.

Countries like Pakistan and Azerbaijan, which already work closely with Turkey in defense, are also said to be interested in buying the KAAN fighter jets.