Turkey’s homemade fighter poised to storm global markets

Turkey’s Kaan Next-Generation Fighter, previously known as the TF-X, has made its first flight, giving rise to geostrategic speculation the fighter jet may soon be available for export to a range of states, according to multiple news outlets.

The aircraft was airborne for 13 minutes, reached an altitude of 8,000 feet and a speed of 230 knots while flying alongside an F-16D for support, the reports said.

The TF-X cum Kaan project, launched in 2016, aims to replace Turkey’s fleet of US-made F-16s, which will be phased out starting in the 2030s. The Kaan’s design philosophy has evolved since Turkey left the US-led F-35 consortium following the country’s controversial procurement of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system in 2019.

The Kaan will be the flagship of Turkey’s military aerospace industry, with the country working on a project to produce locally manufactured jet engines and the design being considered for a sixth-generation fighter replete with artificial intelligence-powered capabilities.

Popular Mechanics notes in a March 2023 article that the Kaan is in the same league as South Korea’s indigenously made KF-21 Boramae fighter. This 4.5 generation jet falls short of being a 5^th generation aircraft, although a complete stealth configuration and indigenous engines are planned for a third production batch.

Popular Mechanics mentions that the Kaan is expected to meet performance benchmarks for modern fighter jets, with a top speed between Mach 1.8 to 2.2, a service ceiling of 55,000 feet, a 700-mile range on internal fuel and supersonic capability without afterburners. However, the report assesses those capabilities are still more aspirational than assured.

The Kaan features an indigenous, bird strike-resistant canopy,