In a major development reshaping regional military cooperation, Egypt has officially joined Türkiye’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jet program, KAAN, becoming the second international partner in the project after Pakistan, which had previously signed on for joint production and development.
The announcement signals a growing trilateral axis between Ankara, Cairo, and Islamabad in advanced aerospace collaboration, potentially challenging Western dominance in next-generation military aviation across the Muslim world.
Pakistan has been a long-standing partner in Türkiye’s defense projects, including the KAAN (previously TF-X) program, with defense analysts often citing Islamabad’s role in avionics development, testing, and future procurement. Egypt’s entry into the same program could strengthen regional synergy, as both countries seek alternatives to Western platforms such as the F-35, from which they are effectively barred.
While Pakistan was among the earliest collaborators in the KAAN program due to deep-rooted defense ties with Türkiye, Egypt’s recent inclusion—formalized in July 2025—brings another heavyweight into the fold, possibly paving the way for joint manufacturing and standardization across air forces in the region.
Sources suggest that Pakistan and Egypt may both gain access to joint production rights, with Türkiye serving as the lead integrator. Such cooperation could lead to shared supply chains, regional MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) hubs, and expanded export capacity for the KAAN fighter.
The KAAN stealth fighter, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) with technical input from BAE Systems, is intended to rival 5th-gen jets like the F-35, Su-57, and China’s J-20. Its first successful flight in early 2024 has already positioned it as a serious contender in the global fighter market.
Egypt’s entry follows Indonesia’s purchase of 48 jets, but unlike Jakarta, Cairo and Islamabad are seen as more deeply embedded in the co-production and strategic vision of the platform. This could give both countries greater say in the jet’s evolution, customization, and eventual deployment.
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While Pakistan has kept its KAAN collaboration largely under wraps, its participation has been repeatedly acknowledged by Turkish defense officials and regional analysts. Pakistan’s Air Force, with ambitions to modernize beyond the JF-17 and aging F-16s, sees KAAN as a cornerstone of its future combat capability.
Given Egypt’s inclusion, a tripartite military-industrial bloc may be forming, with Ankara as the lead designer, and Cairo and Islamabad as co-producers and operators. This comes at a time when Western export controls, U.S. diplomatic pressures, and shifting alliances are pushing Muslim-majority nations toward self-reliance in defense.
The Egyptian–Turkish rapprochement, once unthinkable due to past tensions, now appears to be bearing fruit in the form of long-term defense collaboration. With Pakistan already invested in the program, the KAAN fighter may emerge as the first homegrown 5th-gen stealth aircraft developed and operated across the Islamic world.
The development also offers strategic depth against India’s AMCA program, Israel’s F-35 fleet, and the broader Western military ecosystem that dominates the region.
Egypt officially joins Türkiye’s KAAN 5th-gen fighter program, following Pakistan’s earlier collaboration. The move could lead to joint production, shared technology, and deeper trilateral defense cooperation. Pakistan’s role in the project remains strategically critical, particularly in avionics, testing, and possible procurement. The emerging Egypt-Türkiye-Pakistan triangle may offer a new model for Islamic world military-industrial collaboration. The KAAN program is increasingly seen as a Muslim alternative to the Western-dominated 5th-gen fighter market.