The Turkish KAAN fighter jet program stands out as one of the most prominent defense projects that could usher in a new era of military and industrial cooperation between Turkey and Egypt, especially given the shift in relations between the two countries in recent years from cooperation in supplying systems to exploring broader opportunities in joint manufacturing and technology transfer.
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is developing the KAAN as a fifth-generation multirole fighter, with ongoing testing and development in preparation for serial production for the Turkish Air Force. In May 2026, Turkey signed an initial production contract for 20 of the aircraft, a move that advanced the program significantly.
On the Egyptian side, interest in the KAAN fighter jet began following President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's visit to Turkey in 2024, before reports emerged suggesting Cairo might move from simply being interested in acquiring the aircraft to actively participating in the program itself.
During 2025 and 2026, defense sources and specialized reports increasingly published information about negotiations between Cairo and Ankara regarding the form of potential Egyptian participation. Some of these reports discussed the possibility of Egypt joining the program as an industrial partner, which could include technology transfer, manufacturing some fighter jet components within Egypt, and participating in stages of production and development.
In July 2026, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini went even further, reporting that Turkey had agreed to Egypt joining the Kaan program as a full partner and developer, with the possibility of technology transfer and the production of fighter jet components in Egypt. However, these details remain within the realm of media reports, and no comprehensive Egyptian-Turkish announcement has yet been issued officially defining the nature and extent of Egyptian participation and the commitments of each party.
The engine issue is of particular importance to any future exports or international participation in the program. Initial versions of the Kaan relied on American-made F110 engines, before the planned transition to the Turkish-made engine. In July 2026, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) announced that the United States had approved the export of F110 engines intended for the aircraft's serial production, a development directly linked to the possibility of exporting the fighter jet to other countries.
Should the Egyptian negotiations lead to a final agreement, potential participation could extend beyond simply purchasing ready-made fighter jets, taking the form of broader industrial cooperation. This is especially relevant given the expanding defense collaboration between Cairo and Ankara in other areas, from drones to air defense systems and the joint production of certain defense products.
Reports circulating suggest several possible levels of Egyptian involvement, including acquiring the fighter jets, contributing to the industrial program, manufacturing some components locally, and transferring technology and technical expertise. However, details regarding the number of aircraft Egypt might acquire, its financial contribution, the percentage of local manufacturing, and the specific components that could be produced domestically have not yet been officially announced in detail.
In July 2026, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini went further, reporting that Turkey had agreed to Egypt joining the Kaan program as a full partner and developer, with the possibility of technology transfer and the production of fighter jet parts in Egypt. However, these details remain within the realm of media reports, and no comprehensive Egyptian-Turkish announcement has yet been issued officially defining the nature and extent of Egyptian participation and the commitments of each party.
The engine issue is of particular importance to any future export or international participation in the program. Early versions of the Kaan fighter jet relied on American-made F110 engines, with a planned future transition to the aircraft's Turkish-made engine. In July 2026, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) announced that the United States had approved the export of F110 engines intended for serial production of the aircraft, a development directly linked to the possibility of exporting the fighter to other countries.
If the Egyptian negotiations lead to a final agreement, potential participation could extend beyond simply purchasing ready-made fighters, taking the form of broader industrial cooperation. This is especially relevant given the expanding defense cooperation between Cairo and Ankara in other areas, from drones to air defense systems and the joint production of certain defense products.
Reports circulating suggest several possible levels of Egyptian participation, including acquiring the fighter jet, contributing to the industrial program, manufacturing some components locally, and transferring technology and technical expertise. However, details regarding the number of aircraft Egypt might receive, the size of its financial contribution, the percentage of local manufacturing, and the specific components that could be produced domestically have not yet been officially announced in detail. This comes at a time when Turkey itself is expanding its international partner base in the Kaan program, in parallel with the fighter jet's transition from the prototype and testing phase to serial production. For Egypt, any official joining of the program would represent a shift from traditional defense cooperation to a more advanced level based on industrial participation, technology transfer, and the development of local capabilities.
Therefore, talk of Egypt joining the Kaan program is currently based on a series of reports indicating progress in communications and discussions between Cairo and Ankara. Some of these reports mention extensive industrial participation, while the final form of the partnership, the number of aircraft, the scale of local manufacturing, and the implementation timeline remain contingent on future official announcements from both sides.