TF-X Fighter Haunted! Turkey's five-generation dream has encountered a hard bar, who will support it? 》
The first half of the article:
The situation is changing, and the mystery of the fighter plane is quietly coming. Turkey, a country that once had no chance to develop a third-generation fighter, inadvertently lifted the mystery of the fifth-generation aircraft. On February 21, the TF-X fighter jet soared into the sky, announcing that Turkey has become the fourth fifth-generation aircraft developer after the United States, Russia and China. However, I can't help but wonder if the TF-X is a true fifth-generation aircraft or a dress rehearsal for a technical fantasy.
This city of five generations, named "Khan" TF-X, has a sturdy body, like a soaring horse, advanced equipment, and a built-in bomb bay in the fuselage. However, what stunned me was that the former fighter Xiaobai can now stand proudly at the top of the five generations. Looking back at history, Turkey's military industry has been tepid, and even a stable third-generation fighter has never been successfully developed. However, what a miracle is TF-X that has appeared out of nowhere?
However, this is not Turkey's alone. I used to think that the development of the fifth-generation aircraft was like climbing an infinite peak, requiring strong national strength and extraordinary resourcefulness. Russia, although because of the lag of the electronics industry and the precision technology industry, so far the Su-57 has not been able to be mass-produced. However, Turkey seems to have closed the technology gap in a short period of time. Some netizens ridiculed: "How is Turkey's fifth-generation aircraft trained? ”
Event depiction and multi-angle discussion:
The answer is actually not as simple as netizens imagined. Back in 2013, Turkish Aerospace Industries signed a technical assistance agreement with Sweden's Saab. In 2017, Theresa May visited Turkey, and the partnership between BAE Systems and Turkey was formalized. It's not the rhythm of a one-man Turkish dance, it's a collaborative drama. Turkey is no longer alone, working with Sweden and the United Kingdom to make up for its technological shortcomings.
The details of the cooperation are particularly impressive, as back in 2015, BAE Systems and a Turkish company began a development cooperation on the TF-X project. Through cooperation with Sweden and the United Kingdom, Turkey has not only successfully introduced a large number of advanced technologies of fifth-generation aircraft, but also directly adopted the F110-GE-129 developed by GE in the United States for even the most challenging aircraft engines. In this technological feast, Turkey has gradually accumulated the confidence to build fifth-generation aircraft.
However, there are pros and cons to this R&D model. Although it has accelerated the development of fifth-generation aircraft and the development of the country's aviation industry, it has also made Turkey overly dependent on foreign technology. Perhaps, as one netizen commented: "The fifth-generation aircraft has been built, but is this my own?" ”
The core point leads to:
Turkey's fifth-generation dream, although it has achieved a phased victory in cooperation, there are still many worries about the comprehensive performance of the TF-X fighter. The first is the problem of the engine, the F110-GE-129, as the third generation of high-thrust turbofan engine, makes the performance of the TF-X far less than it should be. The size and weight of the engine became a problem for the TF-X, and the excessive empty weight and aerodynamic drag greatly reduced the combat radius.
This is especially true in terms of the air intake, which adopts the outdated Garette air inlet design, which makes the TF-X somewhat disadvantageous in stealth performance. At the same time, the stealth fighter developed by China and the United States has long adopted a more advanced DSI inlet design, while the TF-X is still in a relatively backward state. A netizen sarcastically said: "This is not a fifth-generation aircraft, it is simply a copy of the fourth-generation aircraft." ”
From this series of questions, we may be able to see that the overall level of Turkey's aviation industry is still inferior to that of China and the United States. Although the size of the TF-X is close to that of the J-20, the overall technical indicators are only comparable to the F35 fighter, far inferior to the Chinese J-35 fighter. This can't help but make us ponder, is the foundation of the fifth-generation aircraft really owned by Turkey? Or rather, this is just a vain feast, and the Turkish aviation industry still needs to work hard to improve its own strength.
To be continued. 
The second half of the article:
Perhaps, the surface of the TF-X fighter is glamorous, but the essence is a microcosm of technology. Compared with China's J-35 fighters, it is not difficult to find that Turkey is lagging behind in technology. The J-35 uses a more advanced medium-thrust turbofan engine, with a more compact fuselage, a smaller frontal area, and lower aerodynamic drag. In terms of comprehensive performance, the J-35 even surpasses the TF-X, which is a gap in technical background.
However, we should also look at it rationally. Turkey's ability to develop the TF-X in a short period of time remains an impressive achievement. The development of technology requires a process, and this cooperation has also put Turkey on a more rapid development track in the research and development of fifth-generation aircraft. As one netizen said: "Don't forget, the fifth-generation aircraft is not achieved overnight, it takes time and experience to accumulate." ”
Against this backdrop, the Turkish aviation industry may not have been built overnight, but it is by no means a one-time success. Although the problems of TF-X are prominent, there is still room for improvement in the future. After all, every technological breakthrough is inseparable from twists and turns and failures. Perhaps Turkey's road to five generations still needs more persistence and efforts.
All in all, the birth of the TF-X fighter has drawn the world's attention to Turkey's military industrial strength. However, under the halo, we should not forget about the technological gaps and problems behind it. This may be an attempt at the fifth-generation dream, but in the future, the Turkish aviation industry needs more efforts to gain a foothold in the hall of fifth-generation aircraft. It is hoped that this dream will eventually become a catalyst for the development of Turkey's aviation industry and move towards a more solid peak.
The story continues, and the future of the five generations of dreams will be brilliant or dusty, just waiting for the years to be revealed.