According to a report by Amberin Zaman in Al Monitor, the admission has triggered a political firestorm in Turkey, with critics arguing that Fidan's candid remarks underscore the fundamental challenges facing Turkey's armed forces and highlight the nation's continued dependence on Western suppliers, despite ambitious domestic production goals.
Speaking at a New York press conference over the weekend, Fidan revealed that US sanctions imposed under the 2019 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) have created "a systemic problem that blocks the trade of defense systems between two NATO allies." He specifically noted that congressional approval is required for engine licenses essential to KAAN production, stating bluntly that "the license must be granted for the engines to arrive so that production of the KAAN can begin."
The timing of Fidan's admission proved particularly embarrassing, coming immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's September 25 summit with President Donald Trump, where securing relief from CAATSA sanctions and readmission to the F-35 program topped Turkey's agenda. Despite Trump's optimistic pre-meeting comments suggesting F-35 deliveries could resume "almost immediately," no concrete breakthrough materialized.
Opposition figures quickly seized on the revelation. Namik Tan, former Turkish ambassador to Washington and current shadow foreign minister for the Republican People's Party, derided the government on social media, arguing that Fidan had exposed the reality that the KAAN cannot substitute for the F-35s Turkey lost after purchasing Russian S-400 missile systems.
State defense industry officials attempted damage control on Monday, with agency President Haluk Gorgun insisting that the KAAN project remains on track for 2028 serial production. He claimed that Turkey is developing alternative supply chains and will eventually use domestically produced engines, although imported engines would be necessary during the development and testing phases.
The controversy raises serious questions about Turkey's defense exports, particularly following Indonesia's July announcement of a $10 billion deal to acquire 48 KAAN jets over ten years. Defense expert Shay Gal, a former vice president at Israel Aerospace Industries, warned that most Indonesian aircraft would require US approval, creating dependencies that Jakarta cannot control. "In today's Turkey-West friction, any American decision can freeze training, maintenance, and deliveries overnight," Gal explained.
Despite these vulnerabilities, Turkish defense exports reached $3.6 billion in the first half of 2025, with projections indicating that they will exceed $6 billion annually. Gal attributes this success to competitive pricing, rapid delivery times, technology transfer agreements, and the combat-proven reputation of systems like Bayraktar drones. However, he cautioned that buyers mistakenly believe they're gaining independence when "in fact they inherit new dependencies."
Behlul Ozkan of Istanbul's Ozyegin University frames the KAAN controversy within Turkey's broader diplomatic weakness under Erdogan's 23-year rule. "Throughout the Cold War, Turkey had a stronger hand. There was give and take. Now it's mostly give and little take," he observed, noting that Erdogan's declining domestic popularity has forced him to seek external support.
The episode ultimately reveals the fundamental contradiction in Turkey's defense strategy: pursuing military autonomy while remaining critically dependent on Western technology and approvals.
Photo: Gemini AI