Turkey courts Saudi Arabia on Kaan, but stealth fighter deal faces hurdles
Turkey is pitching Saudi Arabia on a potential role in its Kaan stealth fighter program, but analysts say Riyadh is more likely to deepen cooperation with Ankara on drones, helicopters and air defense.
ANKARA — Turkey is pushing to draw Saudi Arabia into its Kaan stealth fighter program, but analysts say full co-production is unlikely in the near term, with Riyadh more likely to focus on drones, helicopters and armored vehicles while sticking with US-made platforms like the F-35.
Stoking expectations for a possible joint production of Kaan, Mehmet Demiroglu, head of Turkish Aerospace Industries, said Monday that negotiations with Saudi Arabia over Kaan had reached their “highest level,” adding that an announcement could come as early as this year. His remarks followed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Feb. 3-4 visit to Riyadh, where officials discussed expanding defense cooperation. Speculation over a partnership grew after a Kaan mock-up displayed a Saudi flag at the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia from Feb. 8 to Feb. 12.
Experts, however, remain cautious about Saudi Arabia joining Kaan’s production, arguing that in the near term, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are more likely to deepen cooperation in drones, armored vehicles, air defense and logistics. Still, Saudi interest in the Turkish jet could grow once Kaan’s second and third prototypes begin test flights this summer and the program demonstrates tangible progress.
Kaan is Turkey’s homegrown fifth-generation stealth fighter, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI, also known as TUSAS) in the mid-2010s as Ankara sought to reduce reliance on foreign platforms. Publicly unveiled in 2023, the aircraft completed its maiden test flight in early 2024. The first 20 units, equipped with US-made engines, are expected to enter service with the Turkish Air Force in the late 2020s and early 2030s, while variants powered by Turkish engines are slated for the mid-2030s.
