U.S. reportedly clears engine sale for Türkiye’s KAAN fighter jet

The chief executive of a Turkish defence company has said the United States has approved the export of GE F110 engines for Türkiye’s KAAN fighter jet, although Washington has yet to confirm the move.

Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom, Mehmet Demiroğlu, CEO of Turkish Aerospace Industries, said Washington had completed the approval process for the sale of the U.S.-made engines.

If confirmed, the move would remove a key obstacle to the serial production of Türkiye’s first domestically developed fifth-generation combat aircraft.

As of publication, neither the U.S. State Department nor the Pentagon had issued a statement on the matter, while GE Aerospace has not commented publicly on the reported authorisation.

However, the State Department officially informed the U.S. Congress late last month of a proposed Foreign Military Sale, valued at more than $700 million, for F110 engines and related equipment for Türkiye’s KAAN programme.

The notification triggered the standard congressional review period required for major arms sales to NATO allies.

Notably, during the review period, Congress did not block the proposed sale, allowing the process to proceed under U.S. arms export procedures.

Years of strained relations

The reported export approval, if confirmed by Washington, would mark another sign of improving defence cooperation between the two NATO allies after several years of strained relations.

Relations deteriorated sharply in 2019 when Türkiye purchased the Russian-made S-400 air defence system despite repeated U.S. objections.

The following year, Washington imposed sanctions on Türkiye’s defence industry and expelled the country from the U.S.-led multinational F-35 fighter jet programme.

According to U.S. officials, operating the S-400 system alongside the F-35 could potentially compromise the aircraft’s sensitive technology.

Despite the rift, U.S.-Türkiye defence ties have shown signs of improvement in recent months.

Earlier this year, Washington approved the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye, while U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated his willingness to readmit Türkiye to the F-35 programme if issues surrounding the S-400 are resolved.

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KAAN programme advances

The KAAN fighter made its maiden flight in early 2024.

It is expected to become the centrepiece of Türkiye’s air force, replacing ageing F-16 aircraft and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.

Early KAAN prototypes are expected to use the U.S.-built F110 engine while Türkiye’s defence industry develops an indigenous engine for future versions of the aircraft.

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Türkiye U.S. KAAN Air Force Defence funding fighter jets