Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has signed a contract to sell 48 KAAN fifth-generation fighter jets to Indonesian defense firms PT Dirgantara Indonesia and PT Republik Aero Dirgantara, marking a major leap in defense ties between the two countries.

The agreement, signed on Friday, July 25, 2025, during the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul, also includes provisions for co-production, engineering collaboration, and transfer of technology. The delivery of the jets, all of which will be powered by engines produced in Turkey, is expected to be completed within 120 months.

President of the Defence Industry Agency of Türkiye, Haluk Görgün, described the deal as a "historic moment" and a continuation of the memorandum of understanding signed at the Indo Defense 2024 exhibition in Jakarta.

“I’m deeply grateful to witness this moment. We are excited and proud. Through this partnership, we aim to support the development of local industrial infrastructure in Indonesia and strengthen collaboration between our nations in both production and engineering,” Görgün said.

He also revealed that several other countries have expressed interest in the KAAN platform, though details are to be announced later.

KAAN is Turkey’s first domestically-produced next-generation fighter jet, which made its maiden flight in early 2024. Three prototypes have been developed so far, with two more flight tests scheduled for April 2026 as part of the program’s transition into mass production.

TAI General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu emphasized the significance of the program, “KAAN places Turkey among a select group of nations capable of developing next-generation combat aircraft,” Demiroğlu said.

As part of the broader defense diplomacy effort, Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin also met with Haluk Görgün on Saturday, July 26, 2025, on the sidelines of IDEF 2025. The meeting underscored the mutual intent to build long-term, strategic defense cooperation.

Discussions focused on deepening bilateral industrial collaboration, including the transfer of technology, joint research, and the co-development of military platforms. Both sides reiterated their commitment to building a resilient and independent defense industry aligned with each country’s national security goals.

Sjafrie said it continues to promote mutually beneficial and sustainable partnerships to strengthen the country’s self-reliance in defense manufacturing and modernization.