KAAN Export Customers: Indonesia’s 48-Aircraft Deal and the Next Buyers in Line
The KAAN is now the most valuable single export contract in Turkish defence history. Indonesia’s June 2025 commitment to 48 aircraft — with options for 12 more, totalling more than US $10 billion — turned a flying prototype into a programme with a real export book. Here is who has signed, who is next in line, and what the deal means for KAAN’s industrial trajectory.
The Indonesia Contract — Headline Numbers
In 2025 — and formally finalised at the Indo Defence 2025 exhibition in Jakarta after an earlier signing at IDEF Istanbul — Türkiye and Indonesia inked a contract for 48 KAAN fifth-generation fighters, with options for 12 additional airframes. The deal is publicly valued at more than US $10 billion, making it by some distance the largest export contract in the history of the Turkish defence industry.
| Key Facts — KAAN × Indonesia |
|---|
| Contract: 48 aircraft + 12 options Value: > US $10 billion Powerplant: TF35000 (indigenous Turkish engine) on all 48 Delivery target: by 2034 Status: largest export contract in Turkish defence industry history |
Why Indonesia Chose KAAN
Indonesia’s fighter acquisition path has been notoriously winding — partial participation in South Korea’s KF-21 programme, contracts for Rafale and second-hand Mirage 2000-5s, and ongoing discussions over F-15EX. KAAN offered Jakarta something none of those alternatives could: a fifth-generation platform with low-observable shaping, a transfer-of-technology component, and a Muslim-majority middle-power partner with strategic alignment on Indo-Pacific neutrality.
Crucially, the contract is structured around the indigenous TF35000 engine — meaning Indonesia is betting on the maturation of Türkiye’s domestic engine programme by the early 2030s. That bet, in turn, gives the Turkish engine programme a guaranteed industrial off-take, accelerating its own funding and risk-retirement.
Likely Next Buyers — The 2026 Watch List
After Indonesia, Türkiye’s own MoD has publicly identified several “ready” or “interested” customers. Their order timing depends on three variables: engine availability (TF35000 industrialisation), Indonesia’s production-line allocation, and the export-licence path for any F110-equipped early batches.
| Country | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Azerbaijan | Reported as next likely customer | Strong existing defence cooperation; TB2, Akıncı, ALTAY interest in parallel |
| Pakistan | Active interest | Long-running J-31/J-35 vs KAAN comparison; political alignment with Türkiye |
| Malaysia | Active interest | Fleet recapitalisation; MRCA programme |
| Saudi Arabia | Reported interest | Part of broader Turkish-Saudi defence rapprochement; ALTAY and Akıncı already discussed |
| Qatar | Reported interest | Strategic partner; ALTAY ordered |
| Spain | Reported as having KAAN “on its radar” | Part of NGFC / FCAS hedging conversations |
Engine Politics: The Choke Point
Every KAAN export conversation eventually returns to engines. The first prototypes and the initial Turkish Air Force batch use General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofans — the same family that powers Türkiye’s F-16 fleet. F110 export approvals require U.S. State Department sign-off and are subject to end-use controls. The TF35000 — TEI’s domestic engine — is the path to fully sovereign export sales, but its industrialisation timeline (post-2030 for production-batch availability) shapes when individual export customers can realistically take delivery.
Indonesia’s decision to specify TF35000 on all 48 aircraft is a deliberate alignment of buyer and seller timelines: delivery by 2034 leaves time for engine maturation and creates an off-take commitment that strengthens the engine programme’s business case.
Industrial Capacity: Can TAI Deliver?
TUSAŞ has publicly committed to scaling KAAN production to double-digit annual output once Block 10 enters serial production. Türkiye’s domestic order — an initial batch of 20 aircraft by 2028, with much larger follow-on buys — is the anchor; the 48-aircraft Indonesia deal is the validation. Industrial capacity at the Akıncı/F-16 modernisation campus in Kahramankazan is being expanded specifically to absorb both lines.
What the Indonesia Deal Means for the Programme
Beyond the dollar value, the Indonesia deal does three structural things for KAAN. It de-risks the engine programme by guaranteeing an export off-take. It locks in a customer reference for the next wave of buyers — Pakistan, Malaysia, Azerbaijan — that may use Indonesia’s contract terms as a baseline. And it gives TUSAŞ the industrial scale needed to amortise the platform’s development cost across more units, which directly improves per-unit pricing for both Türkiye and future export customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Indonesia paying for 48 KAAN aircraft?
The contract is publicly valued at more than US $10 billion for 48 aircraft, with options for 12 more.
When will Indonesia receive its first KAAN?
All 48 aircraft are scheduled for delivery by 2034, with the indigenous TF35000 engine.
Who is the next likely KAAN export customer?
Türkiye’s MoD has publicly identified Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia as the most likely next customers, with Spain reported as also evaluating the platform.
Is the KAAN deal the largest in Turkish defence history?
Yes — the 48-aircraft Indonesia contract is the single largest export contract in the history of the Turkish defence industry.
Will export KAANs use the GE F110 or a Turkish engine?
Indonesia’s 48 aircraft are specified with the indigenous TF35000 engine. The initial Turkish Air Force batch uses the F110 because the domestic engine is not yet in production.
Conclusion
The Indonesia contract converts KAAN from an aspirational national programme into a real export business. With more than US $10 billion booked, a clear engine roadmap, and a credible next-wave customer pipeline, the question for 2026 is no longer whether KAAN will be exported — but how fast Türkiye can scale the industrial base behind it.
Suggested Images (with alt text + sources)
Search the WordPress Media Library first for the keywords below. If no asset exists, use the suggested external source (royalty-free / official press).
| # | Suggested Image | Alt Text / Caption | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image 1 | kaan-indonesia-signing.jpg | Türkiye–Indonesia KAAN export contract signing at Indo Defence 2025 | Search WP Media first (‘Indonesia KAAN’); fallback: Indonesia Ministry of Defence press release |
| Image 2 | kaan-prototype-ground.jpg | KAAN prototype on the ground at TUSAŞ facility | Search WP Media first (‘KAAN prototype’); fallback: TUSAŞ press kit (tusas.com/en) |
| Image 3 | kaan-export-customers-map.png | Map of confirmed and prospective KAAN export customers | Search WP Media first; fallback: create internally or use Wikimedia Commons base map |
Sources
Endonezya, 48 adet KAAN savaş jeti almak için Türkiye ile sözleşme imzaladı — İletişim Başkanlığı — https://www.iletisim.gov.tr/turkce/dis_basinda_turkiye/detay/endonezya-48-adet-kaan-savas-jeti-almak-icin-turkiye-ile-sozlesme-imzaladi-ingiltere
Endonezya’ya 48 adetlik KAAN uçağı satışında sözleşme imzalandı — Anadolu Ajansı — https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ekonomi/endonezyaya-48-adetlik-kaan-ucagi-satisinda-sozlesme-imzalandi/3642773
TUSAŞ’tan Tarihi Anlaşma: 48 Adet KAAN — TSKGV — https://tskgv.org.tr/savunmasanayiigundem/tusastan-tarihi-anlasma-48-adet-kaan-savas-ucagi-endonezyaya-ihrac-ediliyor
KAAN’ın Endonezya’ya satışının yansımaları — AA Analiz — https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/analiz/kaanin-endonezyaya-satisinin-yansimalari-ne-olur/3603000
KAAN İspanya’nın radarında — Milliyet — https://www.milliyet.com.tr/gundem/kaan-ispanyanin-radarinda-7584230
