Spain and Türkiye have launched preliminary government-to-government talks regarding the potential acquisition of the KAAN fifth-generation stealth fighter. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) CEO Mehmet Demiroğlu confirmed the discussions.
Madrid is under increasing pressure to modernize its aging aerial combat fleet. The Spanish military currently faces the upcoming retirement of its AV-8B Harriers and the obsolescence of its EF-18 Hornet fleet.
The talks emerge as the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a flagship defense program developed with France and Germany, faces repeated delays. While the KAAN remains in its testing phase, a deal would signal a strategic shift in European defense procurement and NATO's industrial landscape.