The second flight of the national combat aircraft KAAN, which was initiated by the Turkish Defence Industries Presidency (SSB) in order to meet the combat aircraft requirement of the Turkish Air Forces Command and developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), is carried out successfully in Ankara, Turkiye on May 06, 2024. (Photo by TUR Defence Industries Presidency/Anadolu via Getty Images)
ISTANBUL — The Turkish air force has formally inked a deal to procure 20 fifth-generation KAAN fighter jets from Turkish Aerospace (TA), with plans for more in the future.
“The initial sale was made for the first batch of 20 Block 10 aircraft. This is the first order. Over time, we expect the numbers to increase,” TA CEO Mehmet Demiroglu told Breaking Defense today, following the official signing at the SAHA defense expo here on Wednesday.
The national deal is not the first contract for the Turkish fighter jets, coming a few months after Indonesia contracted 48 fighters last June.
The new contract was signed between TA and Turkey’s Defense Industries Secretariat, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency.
