Turkey’s homegrown fifth-generation fighter program, now widely known as Kaan, has moved from concept to airborne testing after more than a decade of development. What began in the early 2010s has matured into a national flagship project for defense industry modernization, combining domestic engineering, industrial coordination and staged reliance on foreign systems during the transition to a fully indigenous platform.
From concept to first flight: a decade-long journey
The origins of the program date back to a 2010 decision by Turkey’s defense authorities to pursue a national next-generation fighter capable of meeting air force needs beyond the 2020s. Conceptual design work started in 2011 and concluded in 2013, followed by successive design and pre-development phases. The main development contract was signed in August 2016, formalizing the path toward prototype construction and integrated testing.
The program reached a high-visibility milestone when production of initial components accelerated in late 2021. Kaan’s prototype entered final assembly in November 2022, and after ground tests and taxi trials, the aircraft completed its maiden flight on 21 February 2024 from Ankara Mürted Air Base. That first sortie lasted about 13 minutes, reached roughly 8,000 feet and peaked near 230 knots (~426 km/h). A second flight on 6 May 2024 extended endurance and altitude performance, climbing to about 10,000 feet over 14 minutes. These tests validated basic aerodynamics and many onboard systems — an essential early step in a long flight-test campaign.
Current status and production roadmap
As of now, Kaan remains in the prototype and test phase. Two flying prototypes exist and program officials have stated that a total of six prototypes will be produced for an extensive test program. The initial production will focus on a Block-0 baseline configuration while further blocks will incrementally add advanced sensors, software and weapon integration.
Program timelines announced publicly target the completion of the first prototype assembly and a critical design review (CDR) by 2025, with intensive flight testing anticipated to begin in earnest in April 2026 and continue for roughly five years. Officials indicate that limited serial production and deliveries could occur in parallel with testing, but full operational capability is expected later.
Engines: foreign reliance, domestic goals
A crucial technical pivot for the program is propulsion. Initial prototypes fly with General Electric F110 turbofan engines — a mature, powerful option that supports early flight testing and performance evaluation. However, Turkey is simultaneously developing a domestic turbofan, TF-35000, through a TEI (Tusaş Motor Sanayii) and TRMotor partnership.
Planned milestones for the TF-35000 include first firing tests around 2026 and integration activities beginning in the early 2030s, targeting entry of domestic engines into Kaan aircraft in the early-to-mid 2030s. Until that transition is realized, the procurement and export license landscape for F110 engines, which requires U.S. approvals, remains a program risk and a timetable variable. Program leaders stress that Kaan is intended to avoid dependency on a single foreign source, making indigenous propulsion a strategic priority.
Service entry expectations and realistic timelines
Official schedules have suggested a targeted service entry by the end of 2028, with initial batches (for example, 20 aircraft) intended to enter Turkish Air Force inventory to begin replacing older F-4 and F-16 variants. That timetable is optimistic and conditioned on continuous progress across testing, supply chain and engine integration.
Independent analysts and experienced program evaluators caution that complex aircraft programs routinely extend beyond initial estimates, especially when new engines, advanced sensors and stealth features require iterative design changes. Some experts argue that fully operational capability for a fifth-generation design could slip into the early 2030s, depending on test outcomes and integration of the TF-35000 engine. In short: limited deliveries by 2028 are plausible, but full operational maturity is likely to occur later.
What developing a modern fighter actually entails
Developing a modern combat jet is a multi-stage, resource-intensive process. Broadly, it unfolds in four phases:
- Concept and pre-design: define mission, performance and system architecture; run simulations and select materials and subsystems.
- Development and prototyping: move from models to physical aircraft; manufacture prototypes and perform ground tests (structural, integration, systems).
- Flight testing and refinement: exercise the aircraft across its entire flight envelope, verify avionics and weapons integration, and fix design issues discovered in flight.
- Series production and initial fielding: scale up manufacturing, train maintainers and pilots, and deliver aircraft under progressively mature software and hardware baselines.
History shows these phases frequently overlap and extend over many years: the F-22 and F-35 programs involved multi-decade timelines from concept to full operational capability. For Kaan, realistic expectations must account for potential design changes, software development cycles, logistics and the development of domestic supply chains.
Lessons from other fifth-generation programs
Global experience with fifth-generation fighters (notably the U.S. F-22 and F-35) offers lessons relevant to Kaan. Key themes include:
- Stealth and sensor integration are difficult and costly, requiring continuous testing and software updates.
- Concurrency risks — producing aircraft while still testing them — can speed fielding but often generates retrofit costs and schedule overruns.
- Industrial base and supply chain maturity are as important as the aircraft design itself; building thousands of parts and ensuring timely delivery is a logistical challenge.
- Engine development is typically a program driver; delays or performance shortfalls in propulsion can reshape timelines and platform capabilities.
European efforts have often favored evolutionary 4.5-generation designs, while U.S. programs pursued full stealth and sensor fusion. Each approach carries tradeoffs in cost, risk and time to field.
Strategic significance and national capability
Beyond tactical capability, Kaan is a symbol of national technological ambition. A successful indigenous fighter would deepen Turkey’s defense industrial autonomy, create high-skilled jobs, and position the country as a potential defense exporter. But achieving that outcome depends on sustaining program funding, attracting and retaining engineering talent, and managing international partnerships for specialized components.
What to watch next
Key program indicators to monitor in the coming years:
- Completion of the critical design review (CDR) and prototype production milestones.
- Progress of the TF-35000 engine: test firings, performance data and integration schedule.
- Flight-test campaign duration and whether additional design iterations are needed.
- Serial production rate announcements and the number of aircraft planned for initial deliveries.
- Export-license developments, especially regarding engines and high-end avionics.
Conclusion
Kaan represents an ambitious, technology-intensive path for a nation seeking an indigenous fifth-generation capability. Early flight tests in 2024 validated key design choices and opened the door to a multi-year testing and refinement phase. While initial service aspirations (late-2020s) are being pursued, full operational maturity will likely require sustained testing, domestic engine integration and careful management of industrial capacity — making early 2030s a more realistic horizon for complete capability.
