Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said work has begun on a defense cooperation agreement between Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, including joint investment in the production of fifth-generation Khan fighter jets.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Saudi Arabia and other countries are closely watching Turkiye’s progress in the defense industry, adding that the Turkish government is preparing to sign important agreements with Riyadh in this field.
“We have received many positive comments about the Turkish fighter jet Khan and are discussing joint investments with Saudi Arabia in this regard,” Erdogan, who returned from a regional tour that included Saudi Arabia and Egypt, told a group of Turkish journalists in remarks published on Thursday.
He emphasized that the Khan is not just a fighter jet, but a symbol of Türkiye’s engineering capabilities and determination to maintain an independent defense posture. He added that cooperation with Saudi Arabia in this field is likely to expand, including joint investments.
In February 2024, Turkiye announced the successful first flight of the domestically produced fifth-generation fighter aircraft “KAAN” manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries. This milestone makes Turkiye one of only five countries capable of producing fifth-generation fighter jets, with the aim of exporting the jets.
KAAN is designed to perform air-to-air combat missions and conduct precision strikes at supersonic speeds from its internal arsenal.
President Erdogan said he held “very productive” talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to Riyadh on Tuesday, noting that Saudi Arabia holds a special position for Mr. Turkiye in defense industry, transportation, health care, investment and construction services. Bilateral trade will reach $8 billion in 2025, and Turkish contractors have completed more than 400 projects in the Kingdom worth a total of $30 billion.
He added that Saudi Arabia and Turkiye share unified views on regional issues, stressing that both countries oppose any new wars in the region and favor peace, stability and tranquility, which he said is in the interest of all parties.
