Turkish defense firm eyes more contracts to export KAAN fighter jets

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is in talks with several countries to export its domestically developed KAAN fighter jet, the company's CEO Mehmet Demiroglu said Monday.

TAI is presenting its products at the 55th Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport, including the multi-role Gokbey helicopter, the Hurkus basic training aircraft, the Hurjet advanced jet trainer, and the Aksungur unmanned aerial vehicle.

“We define TAI as the supermarket of Türkiye's aviation, with our units producing helicopters, UAVs, satellites, and even products for Airbus and Boeing—we have everything,” said Demiroglu, who is also attending the event.

Demiroglu said Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto expressed interest in the KAAN fighter jet during his visit to Türkiye in April. TAI followed up with a visit to Indonesia in May, resulting in the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the Indo Defense Expo 2025 in Jakarta.

Noting that this memorandum is more than a simple agreement, Demiroglu said: “This is a framework agreement that determines what the product is, how many of them will be made, and how they will be.”

“We will hopefully sign the final contract in a few months,” he added.

Demiroglu noted that KAAN has attracted strong interest globally.

“We're in talks with some countries, and we expect serious developments from others, too,” he noted.

Demiroglu mentioned that TAI is working with various countries, including Spain, on the Hurjet.

“Spain choosing our Hurjet stirred a significant buzz both in Europe and around the world as the second NATO country to choose it, after Türkiye, whose air force will also use the aircraft for training purposes,” he said.

European defense spending has surged over the past year, Demiroglu noted, adding that Türkiye is well-positioned to meet rising demand.

“We have the infrastructure and the product range to meet both our own needs and those of our allies,” he said. “Türkiye is one of the candidates with a serious advantage as a source for defense products.”

He also highlighted past collaborations with European manufacturers, including Airbus and the helicopter division of Italian aerospace giant Leonardo SpA, saying that TAI is prepared to meet Europe's platform requirements.