Indonesia is looking to help develop Turkey’s Kaan fighter jet and submarines, signaling an effort to broaden the modernization of Southeast Asia’s largest military by partnering beyond its traditional defense allies, Bloomberg reported on Friday.
The two countries will establish a joint venture between strategic defense contractors, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said in a joint statement with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday during his visit to Turkey. Prabowo said the venture could include the joint construction of submarines.
No details were given on which companies would be involved or what aerospace capabilities Indonesia might contribute, as Turkey aims to deploy a next-generation fighter jet with stealth features. Indonesia’s leading aerospace company, PT Dirgantara Indonesia, manufactures several types of turboprop aircraft but does not produce modern fighter jets.
Indonesia has a mixed record on fighter jet collaboration and defense deals. The country has been working with South Korea to jointly develop a fighter jet, but the project, launched about a decade ago, has faced repeated delays as Indonesia scaled back its financial commitments. In another setback, Indonesia revealed last year that two of its nationals involved in the development of the KF-21 supersonic fighter were investigated over a suspected technology leak.
In 2021 Indonesia put a plan to purchase Russian Sukhoi Su-35 jets on hold after striking deals to buy US-made F-15s and France’s Rafale jets.
Indonesia also had a submarine agreement with South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., which encountered several delays. The $1.1 billion deal, first signed in 2011, took about a decade for all three submarines to be delivered, according to Yonhap News.
The latest talks with Turkey add to a growing list of defense and security ties between the two countries. In February the presidents of Indonesia and Turkey witnessed the signing of a joint venture between Turkish drone maker Baykar and Indonesia’s Republikorp to build a drone manufacturing facility in Indonesia.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been pushing to strengthen Turkey’s defense industry, viewing exports as a key part of that effort. Beyond Indonesia, Erdoğan’s government is in talks with Saudi Arabia on a potential $6 billion deal involving warships, tanks and missiles. Ankara also wants the kingdom to join the Kaan fighter jet program.
Turkey’s Kaan, a fifth-generation warplane developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries with support from the UK’s BAE Systems, made its first flight last year. The aircraft is designed to eventually feature stealth capabilities and advanced avionics, though it is not yet operational.