Spain Eyes Türkiye’s KAAN as Strategic Alternative After Cancelling F-35 Purchase ?

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Spain’s cancellation of its long-anticipated F-35 Lightning II procurement has opened the door to a radical alternative: Türkiye’s fifth-generation KAAN stealth fighter.

The proposal, circulating within Spain’s defence analysis community, highlights KAAN not only as a replacement option for the Spanish Air Force but also as a potential naval variant for the country’s future aircraft carrier ambitions.

The KAAN, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), represents Ankara’s flagship aerospace program and is designed to position Türkiye among a handful of nations capable of producing indigenous stealth fighters.

Spanish analysts argue that the aircraft could emerge as a viable alternative to both the cancelled F-35 acquisition and uncertainties surrounding the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a program facing spiraling costs and political delays.

“The KAAN is not just an aircraft; it is the spearhead of a national strategy to achieve full technological autonomy and consolidate the Turkish aerospace industry as a global force,” a Spanish defence commentary noted.

The cancellation of Spain’s F-35 deal was not driven by technical concerns but by strategic recalibration, as Madrid recently approved a €10.471 billion (USD 12.126 billion / RM 56.3 billion) defence plan with 85 percent of spending reserved for European-made platforms.

This allocation aligns with Spain’s NATO commitment to reach 2% of GDP on defence, but simultaneously renders U.S.-made programs such as the F-35 politically incompatible.

The implications are significant.

Without the F-35, Spain must seek alternatives that can integrate into its long-term operational needs for both the Spanish Air Force and the Armada Española (Navy).

KAAN’s potential naval adaptation is being floated as an option for a future CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) carrier, which Spain is considering as a successor to the Juan Carlos I.

“In the case of an FCAS cancellation, and if the F-35 is considered too costly or politically risky, the naval KAAN could be a very attractive option for a future Spanish CATOBAR carrier,” the Spanish defence review observed.

A naval KAAN would require significant modifications, including reinforced landing gear, strengthened fuselage structures, folding wings, and arrestor hook integration.

Such work would be achievable through joint collaboration between TAI and Spanish aerospace companies, potentially mirroring the existing Türkiye-Spain cooperation seen in the Hurjet trainer aircraft program.

That cooperation, analysts stress, could serve as a model for deeper bilateral ventures in next-generation fighter development.

KAAN itself, previously designated TF-X, is envisioned as a stealth, multi-role fighter optimized for network-centric warfare.

Equipped with advanced avionics, internal weapons bays, and designed with radar-evading features, it aims to replace Türkiye’s F-16 fleet by the 2030s.

Türkiye has already rolled out its first KAAN prototype and is accelerating development with plans to equip the aircraft with indigenous engines, sensors, and weapon systems.

For Spain, the KAAN option offers both opportunity and risk.

On the one hand, adopting the KAAN could provide access to a fast-evolving fifth-generation platform at potentially lower political and financial costs than the F-35.

On the other, it would bind Spain’s defence aviation future closely to Türkiye—a NATO ally but one with increasingly independent foreign policy trajectories that occasionally clash with Brussels and Washington.

Spain’s industrial participation in the KAAN program could nevertheless offer valuable economic and technological dividends.

Spanish aerospace firms, including those integrated into Airbus Defence & Space, could tap into joint development in composite structures, avionics, and naval modifications.

This would also ensure Madrid retains a role in shaping the evolution of a platform that could serve both land-based squadrons and naval aviation contingents.

Strategically, Spain’s decision has broader NATO implications.

By rejecting the F-35, Madrid distances itself from the joint strike fighter ecosystem already adopted by many European allies, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Instead, it risks isolation unless KAAN achieves widespread adoption or unless Spain doubles down on the FCAS, which is years away from delivering a tangible airframe.

Meanwhile, Türkiye has aggressively marketed the KAAN to export partners, with countries such as Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and potentially even Gulf states expressing interest in the program.

A Spanish partnership would therefore add significant credibility to KAAN, shifting perceptions of the aircraft from a national prestige project to a multinational development effort.

Such a move could reshape European fighter jet dynamics, especially as debates intensify over whether the continent should remain dependent on American platforms or accelerate indigenous alternatives.

Spain’s unique requirement for a naval fighter also places it at the crossroads of Europe’s future maritime airpower strategies.

While France relies on the Rafale M and intends to adapt its future fighter for carrier use, and the UK operates the F-35B from Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, Spain could carve out its own path with KAAN.

If realized, a naval KAAN would be the first non-Western fifth-generation aircraft to operate from a European carrier, setting a precedent that could ripple across NATO’s southern flank.

For Türkiye, collaboration with Spain could unlock access to European markets while strengthening its aerospace industry’s credibility in an era where Western sanctions and export restrictions remain a constant challenge.

For Spain, it would offer a hedge against delays in FCAS while providing medium-term flexibility for both the Air Force and Navy.

The outcome of this debate will therefore not only determine the future shape of Spain’s fighter fleet but also signal whether Europe is ready to embrace non-traditional partnerships in defence aviation.

Türkiye’s KAAN: The Fifth-Generation Fighter Jet Reshaping Global Air Power

The KAAN, also known as the National Combat Aircraft (MMU) or TF-X, represents Türkiye’s boldest leap into fifth-generation fighter technology and a decisive move to achieve strategic autonomy in advanced military aviation.

Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the KAAN is a stealthy, twin-engine, all-weather multirole combat aircraft designed to replace the Turkish Air Force’s aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons.

The program began in 2010 but gained fresh urgency after Türkiye’s exclusion from the U.S.-led F-35 program in 2019 following Ankara’s acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system.

For Ankara, the KAAN is more than a combat platform—it is the embodiment of a national strategy aimed at technological independence, defence industrial sovereignty, and the consolidation of Türkiye as a global aerospace power.

The aircraft completed its first flight on 21 February 2024, marking a defining milestone in Türkiye’s aviation history, with operational deployment targeted for 2028.

By 2032, the Turkish Air Force expects the KAAN to achieve full fifth-generation capability, with an initial 20 aircraft planned for induction by the end of this decade.

The KAAN has already attracted serious interest from nations such as Indonesia, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan, with international negotiations focusing not just on procurement but also on technology transfer and co-production.

Development and Strategic Importance

The KAAN program originated from Türkiye’s recognition that long-term reliance on foreign aircraft suppliers undermined both national security and industrial development.

Momentum accelerated in 2016 with the government signing a development contract with TAI, further supported by advanced technical input from European partners.

The collapse of Türkiye’s participation in the F-35 program catalyzed the need for an indigenous alternative, providing both political will and industrial drive to fast-track KAAN development.

The aircraft symbolizes Türkiye’s determination to join the exclusive club of nations—the United States, Russia, and China—that can design and manufacture fifth-generation fighters.

Turkish defence companies such as Aselsan and Havelsan are deeply integrated into the program, developing the aircraft’s avionics, mission systems, and electronic warfare suites.

A prototype was rolled out in March 2023, followed by successful taxiing trials and its inaugural flight in early 2024, demonstrating rapid progress toward airworthiness.

The project also enhances Türkiye’s defence exports, offering allied nations an affordable fifth-generation solution outside of Western restrictions and embargoes.

Design and Stealth Features

The KAAN embodies hallmark traits of fifth-generation fighter architecture, balancing stealth, aerodynamic agility, and operational versatility.

Its airframe is constructed with radar-absorbing composites and angular surfaces, reducing radar cross-section (RCS) to an estimated 0.01–0.02 m², positioning it between the U.S. F-35 and Russia’s Su-57.

The aerodynamic design includes clipped delta wings, large leading-edge root extensions (LERX), and all-moving stabilizers for superior lift, maneuverability, and control at high angles of attack.

Serpentine air intakes obscure the engine compressors from radar detection, while canted vertical stabilizers enhance stealth and stability.

Internal weapons bays house munitions to preserve low observability in contested environments, while external hardpoints provide flexibility for non-stealth missions.

Carbon-fiber reinforced polymers make up much of the structure, ensuring a lightweight yet durable frame with an empty weight of around 18,000–20,000 kg and a maximum take-off weight exceeding 27,000 kg.

Technical Specifications

• Dimensions: KAAN is approximately 21 meters long, 14 meters wide, and 6 meters tall, with a wing area of about 70 m², ensuring superior maneuverability with low wing loading.
• Propulsion: Early prototypes use twin General Electric F110-GE-129 afterburning turbofans generating 29,000 lbf each, with a maximum speed of Mach 2.0 and supercruise capability. Indigenous TF35000 engines are under development to replace the F110s by the 2030s.
• Performance: The fighter boasts a combat radius of 600–700 nautical miles, an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet, and a thrust-to-weight ratio exceeding 1.15 in clean configuration.
• Avionics: Equipped with an AESA radar, IRST, electro-optical targeting systems, and an integrated electronic warfare suite, KAAN features sensor fusion supported by AI-enhanced decision aids.
• Weapons: Internal bays accommodate Turkish air-to-air missiles Bozdoğan and Gökdoğan, as well as MBDA’s Meteor. Air-to-ground options include the SOM cruise missile, KUZGUN modular strike weapons, and guided bombs from the HGK/KGK families.

Operational Capabilities and Future Prospects

The KAAN is being designed for air superiority, long-range precision strike, suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD), and electronic warfare missions.

It will be fully interoperable with NATO’s Link-16 network and future combat cloud environments, ensuring seamless integration with allied forces.

The fighter is also envisioned to operate in tandem with unmanned loyal wingman drones, enabling distributed lethality, multi-axis attacks, and shared sensor data across the battlespace.

This manned-unmanned teaming approach could give the Turkish Air Force a force multiplier comparable to U.S. and Chinese sixth-generation fighter concepts.

Compared with its peers, the KAAN’s twin-engine configuration offers survivability advantages over the single-engine F-35, while its stealth and avionics are projected to rival Russia’s Su-57.

Challenges remain, particularly in producing and integrating the indigenous TF35000 engine and managing escalating program costs.

Nonetheless, Türkiye has demonstrated resilience, keeping the program on track even after a 2024 terrorist attack on TAI’s headquarters disrupted operations.

International interest is growing rapidly.

Indonesia signed a landmark agreement in mid-2025 to acquire 48 KAAN fighters with provisions for local assembly and technology transfer.

Pakistan and Azerbaijan are actively evaluating the aircraft, and Malaysia has expressed preliminary interest in co-production opportunities.

Looking forward, KAAN’s modular architecture is expected to support future sixth-generation upgrades, including AI-driven electronic warfare, directed energy weapons, and integration of hypersonic missiles.

By the early 2030s, KAAN is poised to become the centrepiece of Türkiye’s combat aviation strategy and a formidable competitor in the global fighter export market.

Conclusion

The KAAN fighter jet is not merely a replacement for Türkiye’s F-16 fleet but a strategic instrument designed to elevate the nation into the top tier of global aerospace powers.

Its stealth, avionics, and multirole versatility position it as one of the most ambitious and competitive projects outside of the U.S., Russia, and China.

For Türkiye, KAAN is a declaration of independence from foreign reliance, a catalyst for defence industrial growth, and a symbol of technological ambition with global reach.

As it advances toward full production and export partnerships, the KAAN is set to reshape the balance of regional air power and redefine the international fighter jet marketplace.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA