After shelving the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth jets, Spain is reportedly considering acquiring Turkey’s KAAN to fill a capability gap amid uncertainties surrounding the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program.
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has disclosed that preliminary government-to-government discussions were underway with Spain for the potential sale of the KAAN fighter, Spain-based Infordefensa news portal reported.
Citing Turkish Aerospace Chief Executive Mehmet Demiroğlu at the SAHA 2026 International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition in İstanbul, the report noted Spain had expressed interest in “a superior fifth-generation fighter” as a potential future solution.
The talks were at a nascent stage and involved both technical and political channels, Demiroğlu reportedly emphasized, hinting that the potential sale for the aircraft will take place through the government-to-government route.
Notably, Spain initially expressed interest in the KAAN in October 2025, months after it closed the lid on the potential procurement of the American F-35 in August 2025.
The Spanish government had earmarked 6.25 billion euros (approximately US$7.24 billion) in its 2023 budget to purchase new fighter jets. At that time, it was reported that Spain would choose between the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a next-generation fighter jet jointly developed by France, Germany, and Spain.
Spain’s interest in KAAN comes as the future of the FCAS fighter program has become increasingly uncertain amid disagreements between France and Germany over work-sharing, as EurAsian Times explains. Even if the partners amicably resolve their long-standing issues, the jet developed under the FCAS would not become operational before the mid-2040s due to repeated delays.
Earlier, the Spanish business daily El Economista reported that Spanish officials view such a purchase as a stopgap solution to “buy time” until FCAS or another European next-generation platform is ready. However, things have changed dramatically since then, and there is a looming fear of the program’s complete collapse.
On its part, Spain needs new capable fighter jets to bolster its fleet and replace the aging F/A-18 Hornet.
It is noteworthy that Madrid is eyeing the Turkish KAAN over the American F-35, which is operated by a host of other NATO countries and would offer better operational advantages and enhance interoperability. In fact, Ankara itself has been desperately seeking the F-35 to bolster the Turkish Air Force.
For one, the decision to abandon the F-35 and consider the KAAN may stem from sustained tensions between Spain and the United States.
For example, Trump had fiercely condemned Madrid’s refusal to increase defense spending by 5% of the GDP last year. And, more recently, a leaked Pentagon email last month suggested that the US could seek to suspend Spain from the NATO alliance as a punitive measure for failing to support its war against Iran—Spanish President Pedro Sanchez publicly opposed the US-Israeli attack on Iran and refused to allow US forces to conduct operations against Iran from joint US-Spanish military bases in Spain.
Some experts believe that Spain’s decision is also driven by the need to turn towards European systems and reduce reliance on the US amid growing fractures in the transatlantic relationship. However, it must be noted that a purchase of KAAN would boost interoperability between Spain and Turkey, as the latter is also buying the Eurofighter.
Another reason to consider the KAAN over the F-35 could be the uncertainties and risks of buying American equipment with Trump at the helm. Several countries, including Canada and Portugal, have raised concerns that the Pentagon could withhold F-35 supply parts and software updates, and impose operational restrictions amid disagreements or political tensions.
Moreover, defense ties between Spain and Turkey have been steadily growing in recent years. Spain became the first export customer of Turkish Hurjet and signed a deal for about 30 advanced jet trainers, including training, maintenance, and support infrastructure.
If Spain decided to buy KAAN, it would be the second export order for the aircraft, which is yet to become operational.
Last year, Indonesia signed a deal to acquire 48 KAAN fighters, along with provisions for extensive collaboration in manufacturing, technology transfer, and engineering. Moreover, it includes establishing a local aerospace infrastructure in the Southeast Asian country.
Spain may, perhaps, bag itself a similar deal. In fact, the Infodefensa report stated that the TAI would be willing to pursue a model similar to the Hürjet deal, including technology transfer and participation by Spanish companies.
KAAN For Spain
KAAN could potentially bolster Spain’s combat capability by introducing its first true fifth-generation stealth fighter, addressing gaps in its aging fleet, including the old F/A-18 Super Hornet and Harriers, while aligning with strategic autonomy goals.
It is noteworthy that the KAAN was developed, at least in part, as a response to Turkey’s exclusion from the US F-35 program, effectively serving as an indigenous alternative to the American jet that was denied to Ankara as punishment for purchasing the Russian S-400.
Originally envisioned as an air-superiority fighter, experts believe the KAAN has evolved into a multi-role fighter capable of air superiority missions, deep strikes, SEAD (suppression of enemy air defenses), and electronic warfare.
The KAAN is a twin-engine, single-seat stealth fighter that made its first flight in February 2024, catapulting Turkey into an elite group of countries that have developed a fifth-generation fighter indigenously.
The aircraft has low-observable shaping, internal weapons bays, and uses composite materials to reduce weight and radar signature, enhancing stealth. The aircraft features advanced sensor fusion, AESA radar, and integrated electronic warfare systems.
Further, it is equipped with a sophisticated, active electronically scanned array radar using gallium nitride (GaN) technology, developed by the Turkish company Aselsan. Meanwhile, the cockpit of this next-generation fighter features a modern glass design with large-area displays and is intended to support future optionally manned operations.
The aircraft is expected to use upgraded variants of Aselsan’s radar warning receiver (RWR), missile warning system (MWS), laser warning system (LWS), chaff and flare management, dispensing system, and digital radio frequency memory (DRFM)-based jamming system, which is already deployed with the other air platforms.
Moreover, an encrypted data link will connect the aircraft to the TAI Anka drone for manned-unmanned teaming, as per plans.
While the KAAN is much less mature than the F-35, Turkey has positioned the aircraft as a potentially cheaper alternative with a higher weapons payload in some configurations.
The aircraft has been designed for high maneuverability, with a maximum takeoff weight around 27,000–35,000 kg depending on configuration, top speeds in the Mach 1.8–2+ range, and a service ceiling over 55,000 feet.
“The F-35 carries six tons of ammunition; this one carries 10 tons. It has two engines compared to the F-35’s single engine. Having two engines means more energy and radars illuminating a greater distance,” Temel Kotil, the Turkish Aerospace Industries’ general manager, earlier said while making a case for Kaan being superior to the F-35. “We will deliver 20 KAAN aircraft in the year 2028. We’ll deliver many more between 2030 and 2033, and the Turkish fleet will comprise hundreds of KAAN aircraft.”
It can carry a range of weapons internally, including air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, such as indigenous Gökdoğan (BVR) and Bozdoğan (WVR) missiles. It is also reportedly compatible with weapons like the MBDA Meteor and various precision-guided bombs.
Whether Spain will take the leap and trust the KAAN remains to be seen
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari13 (at) outlook.com
- Follow EurAsian Times on Google News
