Indonesia, Turkey to develop the Turkish Kaan fighter plane
President Subianto's announcement came during his visit to the Turkish capital yesterday. Turkey’s first fighter jet is set to replace the F-16s. The Indonesian government also plans to participate in submarine development with Turkey. In February, in West Java, the two leaders signed several agreements on trade and defence.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Indonesia wants to boost its military cooperation with Turkey, contributing to the joint development of the Turkish fifth-generation fighter TAI TF-X Kaan, said Indonesian President Prabowo Subiato at the end of a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the Turkish capital yesterday. The Indonesian leader is in Turkey on a state visit.
The country straddling Europe and Asia is the Indonesian leader's second stop on a tour of the Middle East that began in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he met President Mohammed Zayed Al Nahyan.
“Indonesia wants to participate in the development of the Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet and submarine development with the Turkish industry,” Prabowo said on Thursday without elaborating, while Erdoğan refrained from making specific comments about the aircraft.
The Turkish president admitted, however, that both leaders had “reviewed ongoing projects and new cooperation opportunities including joint production in the defence industry,” the Jakarta Globe reported.
The stealth twin-engine fighter Kaan – under development since 2010 by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), a state-owned arms company – is designed to replace the country’s F-16s and will be the first Turkish-made fighter jet. British aerospace firm BAE Systems is a subcontractor in the project.
In addition to aerospace, Indonesia also wants to participate in submarine development with Turkey.
Kaan’s maiden and second flights were completed in 2024 and the aircraft is set to enter production soon, with deliveries to the Turkish Air Force expected by 2028 or 2029.
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have expressed interest in developing or purchasing the fighter plane.
Prabowo also announced, without giving details, that Jakarta and Ankara have agreed to the creation of a joint venture in the defence sector.
Prabowo is in Ankara at Erdoğan's invitation, after the Turkish leader's visit to Indonesia in February in which the two leaders signed several agreements on trade and defence, including a joint venture to produce drones.
One agreement reached in Bokor West Java was signed by Lütfü Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of the Turkish company Baykar with family connections to the president, and Norman Joesoef, founder of Republikorp, an Indonesian defence company. It involves the production and export of Bayraktar Tb3 and Akinci drones.
The first aircraft is designed for naval operations, capable of taking off and landing on aircraft carriers and small runways; the other can fly at great altitudes for long periods.
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05/11/2021 13:13
15/05/2023 22:35
