At the prestigious Paris Air Show 2025, Türkiye’s Aselsan unveiled a fully indigenous strike package specifically designed for the nation’s domestically developed KAAN 5th-generation fighter jet. This revelation marks a monumental step in Türkiye’s pursuit of defense autonomy, aiming to equip its advanced fighter with entirely homegrown strike capabilities and significantly reduce reliance on foreign military technology.
The KAAN fighter, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and having completed its maiden flight in early 2024, is designed to compete directly with leading global platforms, such as the F-35. Aselsan’s comprehensive munitions suite, tailored to the KAAN, includes precision-guided munitions such as the TOLUN and TOLUN-IIR bombs, LGK laser kits for converting conventional bombs into precision weapons, and the sophisticated dual-mode Gözde guidance system.
These advanced payloads offer a range of operational advantages. They enable extended-range precision strikes, facilitate passive target acquisition in contested electromagnetic environments, and provide the capability to transform standard bombs into highly accurate laser-guided assets. Extensive testing and validation have already demonstrated the impressive range and accuracy of these indigenous systems, proving their readiness for modern combat scenarios.
Aselsan’s strategic move is designed to insulate Türkiye’s future air operations from potential international arms export constraints, transforming the KAAN into a true deep-strike and multirole platform fully independent of external supply chains. The company asserts that its products are globally competitive, offering affordability, modularity, and combat effectiveness comparable to or even exceeding established systems like the U.S.-developed GBU-39/B, Paveway IV, and GBU-54 Laser JDAM, all achieved without any reliance on foreign technology transfer.
This standardization of advanced weapon systems also paves the way for rapid adaptation to other new platforms and opens significant potential for export opportunities. By showcasing this fully indigenous strike package, Türkiye is not only asserting its technological independence but also redefining its role in regional and global airpower, demonstrating a robust capability in developing cutting-edge defense solutions.