Saudi Arabia has revealed its intent to acquire around 100 Kaan all-weather combat aircraft from Turkey as part of its air force modernization plan.
The potential deal will support Riyadh’s ongoing initiative to employ a stand-in fleet as it furthers its efforts to adopt a sixth-generation fighter jet by the 2040s.
A report from Turkey-based news agency Hürriyet said that the Arab Islamic government stated its interest to the Turkish defense ministry, military, and state-run arms company during meetings in Istanbul and Ankara in late December 2024.
Other discussions between the two countries focused on warships, radar, and missile programs.
Adopting a Sixth-Gen Aircraft
The confirmation followed Saudi Arabia’s decision in 2023 to join a cooperative effort among Italy, the UK, and Japan to develop a unified, sixth-generation fighter for their respective armed forces.
In November 2024, the consortium, called the Global Air Combat Program (GCAP), announced it would accept junior members including Riyadh in hopes of bringing “money and a lucrative market to a project expected to cost tens of billions of dollars,” Reuters said in an update.
The GCAP, first unveiled in 2022, will merge the collaborators’ “current research into cutting-edge air combat technology, from stealth capacity to high-tech sensors” to create their sixth-gen plane by 2040.
Turkey’s Kaan System
The Kaan jet was developed by state-owned Turkish Aerospace Industries to replace Ankara’s F-16 Fighting Falcons.
The plane achieved its maiden flight in February 2024, with benchmarks allegedly on par with the American F-35.
The Kaan is 21 meters (69 feet) long and has a wingspan of 14 meters (46 feet).
It can be armed with air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, guided bombs, and miniature explosives, and is equipped with advanced radar, target and tracking, and electronic warfare systems.
The aircraft is powered by a twin General Electric turbofan engine for a top speed of Mach 1.8 (2,223 kilometers/1,381 miles per hour) and altitude of 17,000 meters (55,775 feet).