NATO member Turkey is making progress on its advanced KAAN fighter jet according to sources familiar with the matter cited by Aviation Week, a defense industry outlet.
Newsweek has reached out to Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for comment.
Why It Matters
Turkey’s decision to develop its own fighter, aimed at replacing its aging F-16 fleet and achieving strategic independence, came after it was removed from the U.S. F-35 program in 2019, after acquiring the Russian S-400 air defense system.
The new fighter aircraft could soon rival the U.S.-made stealth jet in arms sales to the “global south” by positioning itself as a more accessible alternative. Turkey signed an export deal with Indonesia for the delivery of 48 KAAN for an estimated $10 billion.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is seen in the cockpit of a KAAN fighter jet in Ankara, Turkey, on May 1, 2023.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is seen in the cockpit of a KAAN fighter jet in Ankara, Turkey, on May 1, 2023.
Yavuz Ozden/ dia images/Getty Images
What To Know
According to Aviation Week, TAI officials announced that two prototypes of the KAAN fighter jet are currently in advanced stages of structural assembly, with work underway on system integration in Ankara
The company describes the Turkish fighter as a fifth-generation aircraft, with “superior capabilities for both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat missions.”
Analysts have noted Turkey’s ambitious development but have been skeptical over whether the jet could match the F-35 capabilities. The aircraft blends design elements of the latest U.S. jets, resembling both the F-22 Raptor and F-35, featuring a low radar cross-section, internal weapons bays, and advanced sensor fusion for integrated situational awareness, according to defense experts at the security-specialized National Security Journal.
TAI General Manager Mehmet Demiroglu stated that other countries, including U.S. partners Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have shown interest in the KAAN fighter jet, especially since Saudi Arabia remains unable to obtain the F-35 it desires, and the UAE has canceled its interest in the program.
He also signaled Turkey wants to build a six-generation fighter as well.
What People Are Saying
Mehmet Demiroglu told reporters on August 29, according to Aviation Week: “We may not be the first [in terms of developing a sixth-generation fighter], but we will be a pioneer. TAI is in the Ph.D. stage of its life—doing something it has never done before.”
Journalist Steve Balestrieri, a former U.S. Army officer, wrote in the National Security Journal on August 5: “While the body of the [KAAN] aircraft closely resembles that of US fifth-generation fighters, it features stealth characteristics built into the airframe, internal weapons bays, and advanced radar and sensor systems to minimize its radar cross-section and enhance its low observability. However, it is unknown whether the seams are tight enough, given that the body and wings are coated with radar-absorbing materials.”
What Happens Next
Demiroglu said that “intensive flight testing” of the KAAN will begin in 2026.