Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) has achieved a historic milestone in Türkiye’s defense and aviation history with the signing of one of the country’s largest-ever export agreements. During the INDO Defence 2025 Expo in Jakarta, Türkiye and Indonesia finalized a deal for the sale of 48 KAAN 5th-generation fighter jets, designed, developed, and produced entirely with national capabilities. This marks not only a record-breaking export for Türkiye but also one of the first international sales of a fifth-generation combat aircraft outside of the U.S. and its allies.

The signing ceremony, held on June 11 in Jakarta, was attended by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Turkish Defense Industry Agency (SSB) President Haluk Görgün, Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, TUSAŞ Chairman Ömer Cihad Vardan, Deputy Minister of Defense Şuay Alpay, and TUSAŞ CEO Dr. Mehmet Demiroğlu. According to the agreement, 48 aircraft will be delivered over a 10-year (120-month) period, all equipped with indigenously produced engines developed under Türkiye’s National Technology Initiative.

Beyond the aircraft sale, the deal also encompasses technology transfer, industrial collaboration, and capacity building between Türkiye and Indonesia. The agreement aims to enhance local capabilities through joint engineering, component manufacturing, maintenance, and training efforts. Certain subsystems and parts of the KAAN are expected to be co-produced in Indonesia, making the deal a strategic defense partnership rather than a simple procurement contract.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed the deal as “a symbol of Türkiye’s defense industry excellence and independence,” congratulating TUSAŞ and the SSB for their leadership. He emphasized that this agreement reflects the success of Türkiye’s National Technology Move (Milli Teknoloji Hamlesi) and will strengthen bilateral relations with Indonesia.

The KAAN stands out as Türkiye’s most advanced defense project to date, featuring stealth design, supercruise capability, AI-assisted avionics, and network-centric warfare functions. It is designed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, representing the pinnacle of Türkiye’s aviation engineering. Following its first flight on February 21, 2024, and its second successful flight on May 6, 2024, KAAN has now entered a new phase as a globally competitive 5th-generation fighter export platform.

This landmark deal not only strengthens Türkiye’s role as a rising defense exporter but also demonstrates the country’s transition from a regional power to a global player in next-generation military aviation.