Saudi Arabia’s increasingly assertive pursuit of fifth-generation combat aircraft has taken a significant turn as the Kingdom reportedly explores the acquisition of up to 100 Turkish-built KAAN stealth fighters. The potential procurement marks a major pivot in Riyadh’s defense strategy, reflecting a broader recalibration away from reliance on U.S. weaponry and toward a diversified military-industrial future.
The reported interest in the KAAN—Turkey’s most ambitious aerospace program to date—follows years of frustration in Riyadh’s campaign to acquire the U.S.-made F-35 Lightning II, the world’s most advanced multirole stealth fighter. Despite being one of Washington’s top arms clients, Saudi Arabia’s quest for the F-35 has long been mired in geopolitical complexities and domestic resistance in the U.S. Congress, primarily driven by Israel’s opposition.
Saudi Arabia’s interest in the F-35 dates back to at least 2017, but repeated attempts to secure the fighter have faced insurmountable hurdles. Although Riyadh has purchased billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. arms—including F-15 fighters, Patriot missile systems, and a broad range of precision munitions—access to the F-35 has remained elusive due to Washington’s longstanding policy of preserving Israel’s “Qualitative Military Edge” (QME).
Enshrined in U.S. law since the 2008 Naval Vessel Transfer Act, QME mandates that Israel must maintain a technological advantage over all other states in the region. This doctrine has led to Israel exercising a de facto veto over the export of cutting-edge U.S. defense platforms to Arab nations. In 2020, Israel vocally opposed the proposed sale of 50 F-35s to the United Arab Emirates, even after the Abraham Accords paved the way for normalization between the two countries.
For Tel Aviv, the proliferation of stealth aircraft in the hands of regional rivals would dilute its unique strategic advantages. Israeli officials have also expressed concern over the potential transfer of advanced munitions such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM and MBDA Meteor to Arab air forces, fearing that their own air superiority could be challenged in future conflict scenarios.
Another major sticking point in the F-35 negotiations has been the Biden administration’s alleged precondition that Saudi Arabia must formally normalize ties with Israel. While Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has shown openness to such a path in the long-term, domestic political realities, ongoing military operations in Gaza, and the unresolved Palestinian issue make such a diplomatic breakthrough unlikely in the near future.
U.S. lawmakers and advocacy groups have also cited Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and the Kingdom’s conduct in Yemen as reasons to oppose high-end arms transfers. The resulting impasse has prompted Saudi Arabia to reconsider its defense procurement strategies.
Enter the Turkish KAAN fighter—a fifth-generation combat aircraft being developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in collaboration with a consortium of defense partners. The KAAN aims to incorporate stealth technology, supercruise capability, advanced avionics, and next-generation sensor fusion to compete with global heavyweights like the F-35 and China’s J-20.
First unveiled in prototype form in 2023, the KAAN completed its maiden flight in 2025 and has since garnered significant attention across the Global South. Turkey plans to induct more than 100 KAAN fighters into its own air force, replacing its ageing fleet of F-16s and reducing dependence on U.S. suppliers—especially after being ejected from the F-35 program in 2019 over its acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense systems.
Saudi Arabia’s reported intention to acquire as many as 100 KAAN jets signals more than just a technological endorsement. It’s a strategic pivot—one that aligns with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan, which calls for the localization of 50% of Saudi military spending.
Saudi interest in the KAAN was first reported in December 2024, and it gained further traction after a high-level visit by Prince Turki bin Bandar Al Saud, Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force, to Ankara. During the visit, Prince Turki met with senior executives from Turkey’s top defense firms, including Roketsan, Aselsan, and TAI.
According to sources cited by international defense media, these discussions involved proposals for industrial cooperation, including technology transfer and the possibility of local assembly lines in Saudi Arabia. If finalized, such a deal would mark one of the largest defense partnerships between two non-Western nations and significantly enhance Riyadh’s ambitions to cultivate a domestic aerospace ecosystem.
“Prince Turki’s meetings in Ankara showcased Saudi Arabia’s intent not just to buy the KAAN, but to integrate it into a broader framework of defense collaboration,” said a regional military analyst. “This is a long-term strategic play, not a simple arms transaction.”
This Turkish overture is part of a broader trend in Saudi Arabia’s defense posture. According to a recent report by Defence Security Asia, Riyadh has discreetly allocated $2.3 billion to procure 39 Pantsir-S1M short-range air defense systems from Russia. The deal—exposed by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)—includes hundreds of missiles, mobile command units, and integrated battlefield communications infrastructure.
The Pantsir-S1M, widely used for point defense against drones and cruise missiles, will enhance Saudi Arabia’s layered air defense network, especially at a time when aerial threats from non-state actors and regional rivals are growing increasingly asymmetric.
This move underscores Riyadh’s willingness to expand its defense relationships beyond its traditional Western suppliers. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has signed agreements with China for drone technology and ballistic missile production, and now with Turkey and Russia for aircraft and air defense systems respectively.
Turkey, for its part, sees the KAAN as a central pillar of its emergence as a defense technology exporter. TAI, the aircraft’s prime contractor, aims to deliver the first 20 KAAN Block 10 fighters to the Turkish Air Force by 2028. By 2029, the company plans to ramp up production to two aircraft per month, generating annual revenues of $2.4 billion.
Unlike traditional arms exporters in the West, Turkey offers more flexible procurement terms, including generous offsets, co-production, and technology-sharing arrangements. These features are highly attractive to Middle Eastern nations looking to enhance their own manufacturing base while avoiding overreliance on American or European suppliers.
The success of Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci drones in export markets—particularly in Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and North Africa—has already proven Ankara’s credibility as a defense supplier. In fact, Saudi Arabia signed a $3 billion deal with Baykar Technology in July 2023 to acquire the Akinci MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) UAV, the largest defense export in Turkish history.
If Riyadh goes forward with the KAAN acquisition, the strategic implications will be profound. First, it will be a blow to U.S. defense firms like Lockheed Martin, which have historically dominated the Saudi market. Second, it could embolden other Gulf states to consider alternatives to the F-35, especially if political strings continue to frustrate their access to Western systems.
Moreover, a Saudi-Turkish defense axis could reshape the regional power balance. Both nations are vying for leadership roles in the Islamic world and broader Middle East, and cooperation in cutting-edge military technology could deepen their geopolitical alignment.
This shift also mirrors a broader move toward multipolarity in global defense procurement. As U.S. hegemony faces increasing challenge, countries like Turkey, China, and Russia are positioning themselves as credible suppliers of high-end defense solutions, free from the diplomatic baggage that often accompanies Western arms sales.
Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of the KAAN stealth fighter marks a decisive moment in its military evolution. What began as a quest for the F-35 has evolved into a broader strategy to secure technological independence, diversify defense partnerships, and reduce geopolitical dependency.
While the KAAN is still in development and years away from full-scale deployment, Riyadh’s interest in the program speaks volumes about its future trajectory—both in the skies and on the global stage. Whether the deal materializes in its entirety or not, one thing is clear: the Kingdom is no longer content to be a passive recipient of Western defense technologies. It is charting its own course.
