Turkey is intensifying negotiations with the United States to secure General Electric F110 jet engines for its KAAN stealth fighter program ahead of the NATO summit. The Trump administration formally notified Congress of the engine sale, valued at over $700 million, in late July. The summit, hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will bring together leaders from NATO's 32 member states.

The KAAN, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), stands as the centerpiece of Turkey's fifth-generation stealth fighter initiative. The twin-engine platform is designed to modernize Turkey's F-16 fleet and strengthen indigenous aviation capabilities. Engineered to operate with two F110 engines, the aircraft meets demanding performance requirements for advanced fighter operations. In September, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler announced that Turkey received its first batch of 10 F110 engines, with ongoing negotiations with the U.S. government for an additional 80 units.

The Defense Industry Agency and TAI ecosystem have substantially expanded national defense production capacity over the past five years. The KAAN program represents a strategic initiative designed to ensure Turkey's technological independence, with plans to integrate domestically developed engines in the future. However, indigenous engine development efforts remain in the preliminary design phase. Consequently, near and medium-term F110 engine procurement plays a critical role in accelerating KAAN production rates and ensuring operational capability. In international defense industry standards, reliable engine supply for fifth-generation fighters serves as a fundamental indicator of program success.

Turkey's exclusion from the F-35 program in 2019 marked a significant turning point in national defense strategy. This development accelerated Turkey's decision to develop its own fifth-generation fighter. The KAAN project emerged as a concrete outcome of this strategic reorientation. In recent years, Turkey has substantially increased defense exports, particularly establishing itself in the global market for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and armed UAVs. The international presentation of KAAN represents a continuation of this success trajectory.

Within the global defense industry context, fifth-generation fighters including the F-35, F-22, Rafale, and Su-57 serve as benchmarks for comparison. KAAN aims to offer a competitive alternative to these counterparts. Indonesia signed a $10 billion contract to purchase 48 KAAN units. During the NATO summit, interest from Spain and Gulf nations may emerge. Turkey's securing of F110 engine procurement seeks to accelerate KAAN production rates, thereby maximizing export potential.