The fifth-generation aircraft boom is back! The rise of China's J-20 has detonated the global pursuit of fifth-generation aircraft, and the recent explosion came from Turkey. On February 21, Turkish Aerospace Industries officially announced that its self-developed fifth-generation stealth fighter Kaan had completed its first test flight, which made Turkey another country in the world to master fifth-generation aircraft technology, according to Turkey**.
The news of the successful test flight quickly spread on social media, and Turkish Aerospace Industries also shared the ** of the Kaan test flight. The Kaan has an airspeed tube mounted in the nose while an F-16 fighter jet flies alongside. Like the first flight of fifth-generation aircraft from other countries, the Kaan kept the landing gear deployed during the flight, showing an exhilarating scene.
The Kaan, which was originally scheduled to make its maiden flight in December last year, delayed it for two months because of high standards for the safety and performance of the fighter jets, and only recently did it take place for a test flight. According to the Turkish plan, three prototypes will be produced and upgraded in the next three years. The first mass-produced Kaan fighters are planned to be developed and delivered to the Turkish Air Force in 2028, while in 2030-2033, Turkey will carry out subsequent batches of development and production activities. Turkey** confidently declares that the first flight of the Kaan fighter is an important milestone for the Turkish aviation industry.
The successful test flight of the Kaan fighter jet is indeed a sign of significant progress in Turkey's aviation industry. For many years, Turkey has been characterized by self-assembly and the introduction of foreign technologies, such as the M60T main battle tanks of the Turkish Army and the F-16 fighters of the Turkish Air Force. Before being kicked out of the F-35 program, the United States even intended to build an F-35 plant in Turkey to give it the ability to assemble F-35 fighters independently. Now, the successful assembly of the Kaan fighter shows that Turkey has completed the assembly of the new fighter without relying on foreign technology, which is of far-reaching significance for the strength of the Turkish aviation industry.
However, there are still some challenges in the design and performance of the Kaan fighter. In terms of design, the Kaan fighter greatly borrowed the aerodynamic shape and fuselage design of the American F-22 fighter, and even the DSI air inlet features were retained. Although this can be understood as a reference to advanced technology in the early stages of test flights, in the future, Turkey needs to show more originality in design.
In addition, most of the components used in the Kaan fighter come from abroad, including the key engine part of the American-made F110 engine. Turkey may seek to replace it with British engines in the future, but this also underscores Turkey's dependence on key technologies. **In terms of systems, the new air-to-air missile, developed in collaboration with the United Kingdom, has been touted by Turkey as surpassing the Meteor missiles used by European countries, but this has also raised doubts about its real performance.
In terms of performance, the Kaan fighter is billed as a stealth fighter, but Turkey's aviation material technology still seems to be lacking. The main components of the Kaan fighter shown before the test flight were significantly overweight, and even if the surface treatment uses F-35 technology, stealth performance may be sacrificed by optimizing weight. In addition, the fighter body only includes a small bomb bay, although it is more like a fifth-generation aircraft than the South Korean KF-X, but the capacity is limited, and it can only carry 2 "Sakar" small air-launched cruise missiles.
Despite the challenges faced by the Kaan fighter, the successful test flight is still worthy of our applause for Turkey's aviation industry. In the case of the refusal of the United States to deliver F-35 fighters to Turkey, the successful test flight of the Kaan made it possible for Turkey to no longer be subject to "sanctions" by the United States, demonstrating its independent strength in the international arena. The competition for fifth-generation aircraft is fierce, and countries are showing their strength. Although Turkey's Kaan fighter faced some challenges, the success of the test flight marked the rise of Turkey in the field of aviation industry, injecting new vitality into global aviation technology. In the future, we look forward to seeing how Turkey will make unremitting efforts to overcome its technological shortcomings and truly make its mark in the fifth-generation aircraft space. In the era of fifth-generation aircraft, Turkey will become a new leader.