Türkiye’s indigenous fighter jet, KAAN, conducted its maiden test flight on Wednesday, the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) said.
To replace the Turkish army’s aging F-16 fleet, production of the fifth-generation aircraft, KAAN, which was developed by TAI, began in 2016.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Turkish presidency said Türkiye would become one of the five countries in the world capable of producing the fifth-generation aircraft with the arrival of KAAN.
Prior to its test flight, the aircraft has already underwent a number of tests, including ejection seat tests, full-scale static tests, inertia and static tests of control surfaces, landing gear drop tests, avionic system tests in the system integration laboratory, and fuel tests.
KAAN is designed to work with other platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles, airborne surveillance, control systems, and other equipment that are scheduled for procurement, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday.
The fighter jet will be capable of conducting air-to-air combat at supersonic speeds using internal weapon bays equipped with next-generation weapons, according to the agency. ■
