The Fifth Generation Of Domestically Made Fighter Jets In Turkey KAAN Begins Airing At The End Of This Year

Launch of the KAAN fighter jet, Turkey. (Twitter/@TUSAS_TR)

JAKARTA - Turkey's fifth-generation domestically made fighter jet, KAAN, will begin flying in December, according to the head of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).

TAI General Manager Temel Kotil told a television program they chose December 27 for KAAN's first appearance in Turkey's skies, five years earlier than planned.

The KAAN project began in 2016, with TAI expected to be able to deliver fighter jets to Turkish Air Force Command by 2028.

"KAAN was originally scheduled to fly on a Turkish engine in 2028, but the process ended sooner than they expected," said Kotil, launching Daily Sabah July 28.

It is known that KAAN's fifth-generation aircraft was developed by TAI with the aim of replacing the old Turkish military's F-16 fleet.

The 21-meter-long plane (about 69 feet) can reach a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 (2,222 kph) thanks to its twin engine, which can generate a thrust of 29,000 pounds (13,000 kilograms).

KAAN has the technology and features found in fifth-generation fighter aircraft. This aircraft will provide the ability to strategically attack air-to-air and air-to-ground targets. The aircraft has a fully domestic infrastructure to share secure data and use smart ammunition.

Furthermore, these fighters, equipped with high-performance radars, electronic warfare, electro-optical, communications, navigation and identification capabilities, will achieve an accurate increase in combat power with precision and firing from internal weapons slots at high/supersonic speed.

In addition, the aircraft also has automatic target recognition and detection capabilities, fusion of some data and artificial intelligence capabilities.