You want a diversified toolset in your toolbox just in case the little extra capability can make a difference and win you a war. Having the platform already takes you 90% of the way already and you need to add a 10% to get there.
Haluk Görgün of Aselsan: "20 CATS per month will be produced in 2023 with new generation quality". Prototypes of next gen will be tested in a few months.
Why should it be clumsy. Centerpoint has its advantages: It is low center of gravity which inherently means better balance especially when one of the missiles is fired.
"There are three basic types of UCAVs. The first class are “expendables”, that are launched by fighter planes or bombers in the air. They are small drones, cheap to manufacture, and can carry weapons, jammers, or sensors. These little planes never return to base. The second class are called...
What is the point of commenting on an unfinished work. Baykar will work on perfecting the KE in a continuous manner. Every iteration will be a better product until it meets the requirement of the day. It only needs to be able to beat the enemy and not necessarily be far better than but only be...
TFX has lots of metal inside of it whereas KE is likely to be mostly composite.
KE cost will be a fraction of the cost of the TFX, like 1/7-1/8 as per Baykar's announcement
KE will be operational 4 years earlier than TFX