Jakarta / Ankara / Islamabad – July 2025 — In a historic leap for Muslim defense collaboration, Indonesia has signed a landmark $10 billion agreement to procure 48 units of the KAAN fifth-generation stealth fighter jets from Türkiye. This deal marks Türkiye’s first international export of its domestically produced advanced fighter jet and is being hailed as a strategic breakthrough for the Muslim world’s defense capabilities.
The agreement was finalized during the Indo Defence 2025 Expo in Jakarta and attended by key officials from both countries. The KAAN program, already closely followed by Pakistan’s defense planners, demonstrates the growing potential of Muslim-majority nations to develop and share indigenous, high-tech weapon systems without Western dependency.
Pakistan, which enjoys deep defense ties with Türkiye through joint ventures such as the MILGEM warships, T129 ATAK helicopters, and UAV technology, has closely watched the development of the KAAN program. While no formal agreement has been announced, analysts believe the Indonesian purchase may pave the way for future Pakistani interest or collaboration.
The KAAN deal reaffirms the viability of non-Western fifth-gen alternatives, relevant to Pakistan’s own long-term air power modernization goals.
Some sources suggest Pakistan and Türkiye have already explored discussions on the KAAN under the umbrella of broader defense industrial cooperation.
The deal also aligns with Pakistan’s aspirations to strengthen a “Muslim Defense Bloc”, working with countries like Türkiye, Indonesia, and Qatar.
The KAAN fighter jet, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), features:
Stealth design, twin engines, supercruise capability
AI-assisted sensor fusion, radar evasion, and drone teaming
Designed for multirole combat, including deep-strike and aerial superiority
For Indonesia, it marks a monumental step in military modernization, and for Türkiye, it’s a testament to its emergence as a major global defense exporter.
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This deal is being seen as a turning point in pan-Islamic defense ties. Analysts in Islamabad have described the KAAN program as the “F-22 of the Muslim world” — a symbol of self-reliance and cooperation between like-minded strategic partners.
The development follows recent signs of deepening defense integration between Türkiye and Pakistan, including:
GIDS–MKE MoU signed in 2025 for aerospace munitions
Joint UAV and drone systems under testing
Possible future collaboration in engine development and avionics integration
This deal not only empowers Indonesia’s defense posture but signals a shift in the global defense architecture, where Muslim-majority nations are increasingly asserting technological independence and forming strategic partnerships beyond the West.
Should Pakistan formally join the KAAN program, it would reinforce a triangular defense alliance between Ankara, Islamabad, and Jakarta — unified by shared values, common threats, and a vision of sovereign deterrence.