Indonesia eyes joining Turkish 5th-generation fighter jet program KAAN

The second flight of the national combat aircraft KAAN is carried out successfully in Ankara, Turkiye on May 06, 2024. (Photo by TUR Defence Industries Presidency/Anadolu via Getty Images)

BEIRUT — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said his nation is interested in joining Turkey’s 5th-generation combat aircraft program KAAN, after meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Thursday.

“Indonesia wants to participate in the development of the ‘Kaan’ 5th-generation fighter jet and submarine development with the Turkish industry,” the Indonesian president said at a press conference, according to Indonesia’s Anatara News Agency.

The high-profile KAAN program is under development by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and is seen as Turkey’s response to being ousted from the US F-35 program following Ankara’s purchase of the S-400 Russian-built air defense system. (TAI declined to comment to Breaking Defense on Subianto’s remarks about the KAAN.)

Subianto made the remarks at a joint press conference with Erdogan, amid deepening relationships between Ankara and Jakarta. Also on Thursday the two nations signed three pacts on “culture, disaster management [and] media,” which followed 13 agreements signed in February, according to Turkish media.

“We want an even stronger partnership,” Turkish media outlet quoted Subianto saying during the press conference.

KAAN had successfully completed its maiden flight in February 2024, where it reached 8,000 feet altitude and 230 knots speed, according to TAI.

The second and third prototypes are expected to “be flying by the end of the year and early next year, and we’ll be heavily testing these prototypes,” TAI General Manager Mehmet Demiroglu told Breaking Defense in a February interview.

He said then that the firm plans to “shorten the testing period, because we need to do lots of testing and to be able to deliver our first production to [the] Turkish air force in 2028-2029 time frame.”

At the time Demiroglu told Breaking Defense in the interview that many countries are interested in joining KAAN program but he didn’t specify them and said, “these things are taking a lot of time and high-level decisions.” Still, he was confident that that KAAN “will be a joint program.”

The ability to produce an indigenous, advanced fighter has been a big push from Turkish President Recep Erdoğan, who has made nationalization of Turkey’s defense industry a key part of his leadership.

KAAN, which is described as a 5th-generation fighter jet will have 6th-generation features, Demiroglu said, adding that that the firm is working on manned-unmanned teaming concept between KAAN and Turkish UAV maker Baykar.