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Indonesia Turns to Türkiye for KAAN Fifth-Gen Fighter Edge in a Shifting Indo-Pacific Balance.
During an official visit to Ankara on April 10, 2025, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto expressed his country’s interest in joining Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter jet program KAAN, emphasizing a strengthened defense partnership with Turkey, particularly in the aerospace and naval sectors, as reported by Bloomberg. The announcement comes amid growing strategic ties between Indonesia and Turkey, as Jakarta actively seeks to modernize its aging air defense capabilities in response to persistent regional threats and the need for greater strategic autonomy.
The KAAN fighter jet could provide Indonesia with a path to modernize its air force, reduce reliance on Western suppliers, and enhance its strategic autonomy through access to next-generation stealth and combat technologies (Picture source: Wikimedia Commons)
At a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President Subianto stated that "Indonesia wants to participate in the development of the fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet as well as submarine development with the Turkish industry." His remarks, reported by Indonesia’s Antara news agency, reflect Jakarta’s ambition to diversify its defense partnerships in an international landscape increasingly shaped by competition among major powers. This intent was further reinforced by the signing of new bilateral agreements in culture, disaster management, and media, adding to thirteen cooperation agreements signed between Ankara and Jakarta in February.
The KAAN program, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), was officially launched in 2011 under the initiative of Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) to reduce reliance on foreign combat aircraft and strengthen the country’s technological sovereignty. The program gained momentum following Turkey’s removal from the U.S. F-35 program in 2019, which was a direct consequence of Ankara’s acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense systems. Washington cited concerns that sensitive F-35 technologies could be compromised by Russian radar systems. Since then, the KAAN has become a strategic priority for the Turkish government, positioning the country as an autonomous actor in the development of next-generation military aviation.
Previously known as TF-X, the KAAN is a fifth-generation fighter aircraft being developed with technical support from BAE Systems. It features advanced stealth design using radar-absorbing materials (RAM) claimed to be ten times more effective than those used on the F-35 in extreme environmental conditions. Powered by twin engines generating up to 38,000 pounds of thrust, the aircraft is capable of reaching speeds of Mach 1.8, outperforming the F-35, which is limited to Mach 1.6. The KAAN is also designed to incorporate artificial intelligence for real-time decision support, sensor fusion, and coordination with unmanned systems such as loyal wingman drones in cooperation with Turkish UAV manufacturer Baykar. These features are intended to enhance operational effectiveness in data-intensive and high-threat combat environments.
Operationally, the KAAN is built for air superiority, interception, and precision strike missions. It offers an internal and external weapons payload comparable to the F-35, estimated at over 18,000 pounds. The aircraft is expected to carry Turkish-made air-to-air missiles such as the Gökdoğan (long-range) and Bozdoğan (short-range), while maintaining stealth capabilities through its internal weapons bay. Its AESA radar, electronic warfare systems, and networked combat architecture provide it with strong situational awareness—an essential factor in modern combat scenarios.
The KAAN completed its maiden flight in February 2024, reaching an altitude of 8,000 feet at 230 knots. A second successful test flight took place in May 2024, validating critical elements such as airframe integrity, propulsion, and avionics. Additional prototypes are expected to enter an intensive testing phase by late 2025 or early 2026. TAI General Manager Mehmet Demiroglu has stated that the test campaign will be accelerated to deliver the first operational aircraft to the Turkish Air Force between 2028 and 2029. He also confirmed that KAAN will gradually integrate sixth-generation capabilities to maintain its competitiveness over time.
In an interview with Breaking Defense, Demiroglu noted that several countries have expressed interest in joining the program, though such decisions involve complex, high-level negotiations that take time. Interest from Indonesia, along with previous signals from the United Arab Emirates and most recently, Saudi Arabia—which has reportedly considered acquiring over 100 units—underscores the growing momentum for international collaboration around the KAAN program and highlights its potential as a multinational defense platform.
For Indonesia, this initiative is part of a pragmatic strategy to address the persistent shortcomings of its air force. A 2021 analysis by Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) pointed to the heterogeneous composition of Indonesia’s fleet—which includes U.S. F-16s, British Hawks, and Russian Su-27/30s—as a source of maintenance complexity and high logistical costs, with limited interoperability. These challenges are compounded by recurring budget constraints, a lack of procurement transparency, and inconsistent political commitment. In this context, partnering with Turkey, viewed as a non-Western defense supplier, could provide Indonesia with a more flexible and cost-effective path toward modernization, including the possibility of favorable technology transfer.
President Subianto’s announcement reflects a broader geopolitical and industrial repositioning. By aligning with Turkey, Indonesia is not only diversifying its supply chain but also seeking a role in the co-development of next-generation defense systems. Should this cooperation materialize, it could have significant implications for the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, linking two emerging middle powers from the Middle East and Southeast Asia through a strategic technological project.
However, several uncertainties remain, including Indonesia’s financial capacity, Turkey’s industrial priorities, and the technical hurdles still to be addressed in the KAAN’s development. Nevertheless, Jakarta’s expression of interest signals a willingness to adapt to an evolving security environment, where diversified alliances and technological partnerships are becoming increasingly necessary in the face of rising tensions and fragmented global alignments.
Ultimately, Indonesia’s interest in the KAAN program illustrates a dual trajectory: a country seeking military self-reliance in a tense regional context and a defense-producing nation—Turkey—working to establish itself in the global market for next-generation combat aircraft. As the program moves forward, its evolution into a collaborative platform could reshape industrial dynamics in the defense aviation sector by offering an alternative to existing Western-built aircraft.