Turkish President Erdoğan announces imminent Saudi investment in Kaan fighter jet.

On February 5, 2026, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that a joint investment with Saudi Arabia in the Kaan fighter jet program could happen at any time.

On February 5, 2026, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that a joint investment with Saudi Arabia in the Kaan fighter jet program is possible at any time, describing the option as open but not finalized. He linked the potential cooperation to rising international interest in Türkiye’s defense industry, with this partnership framed within broader bilateral economic and defense relations.
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Earlier discussions reportedly held between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia focused on a potential requirement of up to 100 Kaan fighter jets, with an emphasis on technology transfer, joint production, and local industrial participation. (Picture source: TUSAŞ)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that a joint investment with Saudi Arabia is possible for the Kaan fighter jet and that such cooperation can be realized at any time, following his return to Türkiye after official visits to Saudi Arabia and Egypt. He linked this possibility to the growing international interest in Türkiye’s defense industry output and stated that Kaan is among the programs attracting attention from partners. Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye remains focused on meeting its own defense requirements first, while also pursuing cooperation to meet the needs of friendly countries. He framed Kaan not only as an aircraft program but as part of a broader industrial and technological effort. The statement placed the fighter project within the context of expanding bilateral relations rather than a finalized procurement decision. However, no timeline, contract value, or specific production share was disclosed to date.

Erdoğan’s remarks were made within a wider diplomatic and economic context tied to his Riyadh visit and subsequent meetings. He said that Türkiye and Saudi Arabia signed four agreements and adopted a joint statement while discussing cooperation across the defense industry, transportation, health, investments, and contracting services. He noted that bilateral trade volume reached $8 billion in 2025 and that Turkish contractors have completed more than 400 projects in Saudi Arabia with a total value of $30 billion. He added that further opportunities are expected ahead of EXPO-2030 and the FIFA 2034 World Cup. Erdoğan also stated that meetings with Saudi Arabia and Egypt included consultations on regional issues such as Palestine and Syria. These political and economic discussions formed the background for potential industrial cooperation, including the Kaan program.

As previously reported by Army Recognition, Saudi Arabia’s interest in the Kaan fits into its longer-standing effort to acquire a fifth-generation fighter aircraft while remaining unable to obtain the F-35, despite repeated requests since 2012. Previous interactions between Saudi and Turkish defense officials have been linked to a possible requirement of up to 100 Kaan fighter jets, with an emphasis on technology transfer, joint production, and local industrial participation, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives to expand domestic defense manufacturing capacity. Saudi interest has also developed alongside a broader expansion of Turkish-Saudi defense cooperation, including the 2023 agreement for 60 Baykar Akinci unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), with deliveries planned for 2025 and 2026. The Kaan discussions, therefore, sit within an existing pattern of large-scale defense-industrial engagement. But, interestingly, no formal Saudi acquisition decision on Kaan has been announced to date.

The development of the Kaan is tied to Türkiye’s decision to develop a national next-generation combat aircraft to replace aging F-16 fleets and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers amid uncertainty surrounding the reaccess to the F-35 program. Policy-level approval for such a program dates back to the early 2010s, when Türkiye identified the need for an indigenous air superiority fighter capable of operating independently of external political constraints. The design and development contract was signed in August 2016, accompanied by an initial investment of $1.18 billion to acquire technologies and infrastructure for design, testing, and certification. From the beginning, the requirement focused on a twin-engine aircraft with low observability, internal weapon bays, and networked combat capabilities. Export potential was also considered as part of the program’s long-term rationale. The Kaan is also intended to operate alongside other advanced air assets in current and future Turkish service.

Program development has been led by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), with limited international cooperation during early design phases and a propulsion strategy based on proven engines for the initial Kaans. The first production models will be powered by two American General Electric F110 engines, with parallel efforts underway to introduce a fully domestic engine after 2030, including work realized within the TF35000 project. A key milestone was reached with the rollout and subsequent first true flight of the initial Kaan prototype on February 21, 2024, which conducted a 13-minute sortie, reaching 230 knots and 8,000 feet, followed by a second flight on May 6, 2024, extending altitude and duration. These flights validated core aerodynamic, flight-control, and propulsion parameters of the baseline configuration. Additional prototypes are under construction to expand the test campaign, integrate more complete avionics and mission systems, and support progressive envelope expansion through the second half of the decade.

From a design standpoint, the Kaan is a fifth-generation, twin-engine, single-seat fighter intended for air superiority and multirole missions. The airframe is optimized for reduced radar signature and incorporates internal weapon bays to support low-observable operations. The aircraft integrates an AESA radar within an Integrated RF System that also supports electronic warfare functions. It is complemented by an Integrated Electro-Optical System combining infrared search and track, electro-optical targeting, distributed aperture coverage, and missile warning. Integrated communication, navigation, and Mode-5 identification systems are included, along with centralized mission and flight computing. A comprehensive self-protection suite addresses radar, laser, and infrared threats.

As we said, beyond its role in the Turkish Air Force, the Kaan has been positioned for export, with interest already expressed by several countries. Indonesia has signed memoranda linked to a planned acquisition involving industrial cooperation, local assembly, maintenance, and training infrastructure. Azerbaijan has engaged in cooperation tied to production data and development work. Other countries publicly associated with interest include Egypt, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Spain, and Saudi Arabia. However, it is important to note that these expressions of interest vary in maturity and scope, ranging from industrial cooperation to potential procurement. Together, they indicate a Turkish export strategy built around both aircraft sales and long-term industrial partnerships.

The Kaan has a length of 20.3 m, a wingspan of 13.4 m, a height of 5.0 m, and a maximum takeoff weight of 34,750 kg. The aircraft is powered by two F110-class turbofan engines, each delivering up to 131 kN of thrust with afterburner. Performances include a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 and a service ceiling of 16,764 m, with maneuver limits of +9.0 g and −3.5 g. The Kaan’s armament configuration combines eight internal and six external hardpoints, along with a 30x113 mm gun. Air-to-air weapons include Gökdoğan and Bozdoğan missiles, as well as a future ramjet-powered beyond-visual-range missile. Air-to-surface options include SOM-series cruise missiles, multiple Kuzgun variants, the Akbaba anti-radiation missile, and the Roketsan Çakir missile family. The aircraft is also intended to carry a wide range of guided bombs, including bunker-buster types such as SARB-83 and NEB-84.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.