In a significant milestone, Turkey successfully conducted the maiden flight test of its indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet, KAAN, on Wednesday, and a video showing the flight test has emerged on social media.
The KAAN is Turkey’s most ambitious project, being developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in collaboration with the private industry to replace US-made F16 fighter jets in the Turkish Air Force inventory.
The country unveiled the first prototype of the KAAN on 1 May 2023, and the first flight was planned to be conducted on 27 Dec 2023. However, after a few months of delays, Turkey finally conducted the maiden flight test and emerged as one of the few countries capable of manufacturing 5th generation stealth fighter jets.
Turkiye proudly takes to the skies with the maiden flight of its 5th generation #Kaan fighter jet.#Kaan #Turkiye #aviation pic.twitter.com/GXIoFxGINV
— International Defence Analysis (@Defence_IDA) February 21, 2024
Ismail Hakki Beijing, former Chief of Turkey’s military intelligence, stated that it will take 10 years for the mass production of the KAAN, but once it is operational, the Turkish Air Force will become the most powerful in the region.
Turkey’s military analysts claimed that the KAAN will be superior to the American F35 in some aspects and highlighted that the KAAN surpasses the F35 in payload capacity.
KAAN: The Turkish stealth fighter jet
The KAAN is a twin-engined medium multirole fighter jet designed with advanced low-observable stealth technologies, avionics, seamless data connectivity,super cruise and high agility.
It features advanced radar and sensor fusion technology, which integrates data from various sensors such as radar, infrared sensors, and electronic warfare systems to provide a comprehensive picture of the surrounding environment to the pilot, thus enhancing situational awareness.
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Turkish KAAN vs US F35
While the F35’s maximum takeoff weight is 29,900 kg with a single 191 kN F135 engine, KAAN‘s maximum takeoff weight is 27,200 kg with two American F110 engines, each producing 131 kN thrust. Turkey is also planning to develop its own jet engine.
Although there is currently no accurate information available regarding KAAN’s internal bay load capacity, Turkish military analysts claim that KAAN surpasses the F35 in munitions capacity. Therefore, KAAN may outperform the F35 in terms of agility and payload capacity.
However, the US has previously developed three stealth platforms, namely the F117, B2, and F22 Raptor, before the F35. Therefore, the US is much more mature in terms of stealth technology and advanced sensors, which are crucial for stealth fighter jets.
Turkey’s quest for F35
Although Turkey had ordered 100 F35 jets, the US cancelled the deal in response to Turkey’s purchase of Russian S400 systems. After exiting the F35 program, Turkey accelerated its own stealth fighter jet project and conducted the first flight of the KAAN.
Turkey vs Greece
Turkey and Greece have a significant rivalry, with both countries making competing claims over maritime space in the eastern Mediterranean Sea to access oil reserves beneath the sea. In the past, naval standoffs between the two nations have occurred frequently, leading to ongoing tensions.
Currently, there is a significant arms race between Turkey and Greece. While Turkey is preparing to deploy the KAAN in early 2030s, Greece submitted a letter of intent to the US for the acquisition of F35 jets in 2022.Last month, the Biden administration approved the sale of 40 F35 Lightning II jets to Greece, with deliveries expected to begin in 2028.
Conclusion
Turkey accelerated the KAAN development with a successful maiden flight test and plans to deploy the aircraft in early 2030s, even claiming to outperform the F35 in some aspects. With Greece expected to receive F35 jets from 2028, there would be a possibility of a clash between these two stealth fighter jets in the future.
