Turkish first fifth-gen fighter successfully completed maiden flight

The first indigenous fighter aircraft built by Turkey, named KAAN, successfully completed its maiden flight at the Akinci airbase near Ankara.

Temel Kotil, CEO of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), announced on Twitter that the maiden flight lasted for 13 minutes. The aircraft reached a speed of 230 knots and an altitude of 8,000 feet.

Development of the fighter aircraft began in December 2010, with the concept design contract signed between TAI and the government in August 2011. The development contract followed in August 2016.

The program aims to produce a fifth-generation fighter aircraft that meets the requirements of the Turkish Air Force after 2030, replacing the country’s fleet of F-16s. Turkey aims to be among the countries with a complete fighter aircraft production chain, from technology and infrastructure to human resources and production capabilities.

With a wingspan of 46 feet and a length of 69 feet, KAAN is equipped with two engines. The initial prototype is powered by two General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofan engines. However, the final version will utilize engines developed by Turkey’s own company, TRMotor.

TAI will produce five more prototype units, and the Turkish government has purchased 10 sets of F110 engines.

This fifth-generation Turkish fighter aircraft will combine several features, serving as a multi-role fighter with air superiority capabilities, including ground attack, diverse sensor systems, Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, drone network control, and hypersonic guided munitions.