Saudi Arabia to procure more than 100 state-of-the-art Turkish-made aircraft?

(Patria) - Turkish media reports suggest that Saudi Arabia may consider purchasing more than 100 of Turkey's latest 5th-generation fighter jets, the TAI Kaan, developed within the Turkish TFX program.

Discussions about this reportedly took place during the visit of a Saudi delegation to Turkey, led by Saudi Deputy Minister of Defense Khaled bin Hussein Al-Biyari and Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) Turki bin Bandar Al Saud.

Meetings were held with Turkish companies, including Roketsan, TAI, and Aselsan. However, neither side has provided official confirmation.

"Saudi Arabia has not said a word about a potential deal," noted Steve Trimble of Aviation Week on LinkedIn, adding that he "highly doubts it is close to a done deal."

Indeed, the Kaan is still in the prototype phase, and serial production has not even begun yet.

If it proceeds, the aforementioned acquisition would strengthen the RSAF's existing fleet and reflect Saudi Arabia's efforts to diversify its equipment beyond American and European sources. This also aligns with Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030" strategy, which aims to enhance domestic defense capabilities and foster international partnerships, writes the portal The Aviationist, as reported by Zimo.hr.

The RSAF previously ordered Turkish Bayraktar Akinci drones in 2023. Baykar described it as "the largest defense and aviation export contract in Turkey's history." The potential purchase of the Kaan would further deepen bilateral defense ties.

The Kaan is designed as an advanced platform to replace Turkey's aging fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets by the 2030s. With similarities to other fifth-generation fighters, such as the U.S. F-35, it made its first flight in February 2024.

Current specifications include a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 (1.8 times the speed of sound), a flight ceiling of 16.8 kilometers, and a maximum takeoff weight of 27.2 tons.

Initially powered by General Electric engines, future variants aim for domestic engines that will give the Kaan supercruise capability. Turkish media suggests that the Kaan is currently a "generation 4.75" fighter, which is not a true fifth-generation status.

The RSAF has 231 U.S.-made F-15 fighter jets, 81 Tornado IDS fighter jets, and 71 Eurofighter fighter jets. While talks with France regarding Rafale fighters continue, no agreement in this regard has been finalized.

The purchase of the Kaan could signal to Washington that Saudi Arabia has alternatives for acquiring the F-35.