Paris Air Show 2025: Turkish Aerospace close to announcing second international Kaan customer after Indonesia

A scale model of the TAI Kaan fighter at the Turkish company's Paris Air Show 2025 chalet. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

Turkish Aerospace (TAI) expects to secure a second international order for its Kaan combat aircraft, days after signing up Indonesia.

The president and CEO of TAI, Mehmet Demiroğlu, made the disclosure to Janes and other defence media at the Paris Air Show 2025 on 17 June.

“If not this year, then early next [year], you can expect to hear something as big as [the sale to] Indonesia,” Demiroğlu said. “I do not want to get into specifics, but it is a country close by the Gulf,” he added. Saudi Arabia has been reported to be interested in the Kaan, and this is likely the prospective customer.

Demiroğlu's comment came a week after Indonesia signed an agreement with Türkiye to procure 48 Kaan aircraft, also known as the National Combat Aircraft (MMU). While some doubts were observed on this agreement given Indonesia's long-standing involvement in the comparable South Korean KF-21 Boramae project with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Demiroğlu was adamant that the deal was bone fide.

“I am delighted. It is an order which will be finalised in the next couple of months,” he said. “The details have been decided in terms of the aircraft numbers, the technology transfer [package], etc, and we are taking it as a sign of trust that Türkiye can deliver on its promises – the Turkish Air Force's commitment to buy Kaan tells others that they can trust to buy it also.”