Türkiye’s fifth-generation fighter jet performs maiden flight

ANKARA

Türkiye’s fifth-generation indigenous combat aircraft, KAAN, on Feb. 21 successfully conducted its first flight, marking an important milestone as one of the country’s premiere defense industry projects.

Produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), the national jet elevates Türkiye into the league of few nations capable of developing fifth-generation aircraft, with its maiden performance in the skies over the capital Ankara.

Spanning 21 meters in length with a wingspan of 14 meters, KAAN underwent a comprehensive post-production testing phase, including ejection seat tests, landing gear deployment trials, fuel assessments and engine ignition tests.

Featuring a special paint and design aimed at reducing radar visibility, Kaan boasts a fuselage equipped with internal stations and cutting-edge technologies, enabling it to carry a total of eight medium and long-range missiles.

The aircraft incorporates an electronic warfare system and a 360-degree electro-optical surveillance system developed by ASELSAN, one of the top defense firms in the country.

With high air combat range and supersonic strategic attack capabilities, the aircraft is armed with domestically produced smart munitions for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. It aims to replace the F-16 in the Air Forces Command's inventory, slated for phase-out beginning in the 2030s.

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya issued social media messages to celebrate the maiden flight of the indigenous jet, which numerous defense experts described as superior to F-35s in various aspects.

Haluk Görgün, the head of the Defense Industry Agency (SSB), hailed KAAN as a milestone in the vision of domesticity and nationality that the country has drawn in the defense industry.

The project, initiated in 2016, anticipates a span of 10 years for mass production.

Providing insight into the aircraft, former chief of Military Intelligence, Lieutenant General İsmail Hakkı Pekin, stated that KAAN’s mass production would take a decade, but once operational, the Turkish Air Force would emerge as the region's most formidable air power.

The country’s air fleet will predominantly consist of KAANs, and the rest of the fleet will include modernized F-16s, Pekin said.

Highlighting some features superior to the F-35 jets, Pekin noted that both aircraft possess stealth technology, but Kaan surpasses the F-35 in munitions capacity.

Retired Air Lieutenant General Erdoğan Karakuş also emphasized that KAAN will significantly enhance the Turkish Air Force, adding that the full production phase is expected to be completed by 2040.

By 2040, the Turkish Air Force is poised to possess an impressive fleet of 300 aircraft, solidifying its dominance in the skies, he said.