Indonesia Signs Contract With Türkiye to Buy 48 KAAN Fighter Jets
Indonesia has signed a contract to buy 48 KAAN fighter jets from Türkiye in a bid to upgrade its ageing air force, Indonesia's Ministry of Defense announced yesterday.
In a statement, Ministry spokesperson Frega Wenas Inkriwang said that the two nations 'signed an implementation contract' on July 26, on the sidelines of the International Defence Industry Fair in Istanbul, Reuters reported.
The KAAN fighter, which has been developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), is Türkiye's first domestically produced combat aircraft. It completed its first flight in February last year, and production is expected to begin in earnest in 2028. Indonesia is the first export customer for the new fifth-generation jet.
The 10-year delivery timeline will see KAAN fighters assembled and integrated with engines manufactured in Türkiye, while new production and maintenance facilities will be established in Indonesia. This will support technology sharing and the development of Indonesia's defense industrial base. Indonesia's state-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia and land systems manufacturer PT Republik Armorindo Defense will participate in the program alongside TAI.
'This signature is not merely an export milestone – it marks the beginning of a new era in engineering, production, and technology sharing,' Türkiye's Secretariat of Defense Industries (SSB) said in a statement quoted by Aviation Week.
The KAAN deal, which has been valued by one publication at around $10 billion, marks an extension of Jakarta's promiscuous approach to the modernization of the Indonesian Air Force, which currently includes a mix of ageing U.S.-made F-16 and Russian Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 jets.
The Indonesian Air Force has considered various options for refreshing its fighter fleet over the past decade, reflecting both the complexity of its operational needs and its desire to avoid a heavy reliance on any one defense partner. It is already waiting on an $8.1 billion order for 42 new Rafale jet fighters from the French defense manufacturer Dassault, the first of which are expected for delivery early next year. Since then, Jakarta has mooted a possible purchase of China's J-10 fighter jets, following the impressive performance of Pakistan's J-10s in its military clashes with India in May. It has also considered a purchase of U.S.-made F-15EX Eagle II fighters.
Why Indonesia would opt for a largely unproven jet remains unclear, but Türkiye's agreement to support technology transfers in Indonesian state-owned enterprises is clearly an attractive draw for Jakarta, which has for years sought to develop its own defense industrial base. As a technologically competent middle power, Türkiye also likely appeals insofar as it allows Indonesia to avoid an unhealthy dependence on major powers such as China, Russia, and the United States.
The fighter jet procurement is not the only new defense agreement between the two nations. According to one report, last week's defense expo also saw Indonesia sign an MoU with Türkiye's TAIS Shipyard to purchase two Milgem Istif-class frigates, which follows the integration of Turkish weapons and combat systems aboard Indonesia's future Merah Putih-class frigates. At last week's defense expo, the Turkish defense firm Roketsan also signed a technology transfer agreement with Indonesia covering its Cakir cruise missile system.
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