TR TF-X KAAN Fighter Jet

hawk21

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There is no logic in developing a manned platform out of an unmanned platform. Within the next few years, AI will completely eliminate the need for a pilot. For KE, a pilot would be a limitation to perform aggressive maneuvers.

That being said, there will be a period were manned and unmanned platforms co-exist. In this case it will be KAAN who commands a fleet of KE and ANKA 3/4

There is actually. You want to save development cost, time and re-use capabilities that are already developed and tested. You also want commonality of systems to reduce manufacturing costs.

Also, saying that "in a few years" AI will "completely" replace the need for a pilot is a claim with very little evidence to back it up. Let's first see a combat aircraft that is capable of being operated by an onboard AI, under all flight conditions, and which will not require a remote operator. When such an aircraft is in service with any airforce in the world, then i would be inclined to accept your claim.

But right now, all these "onboard AI" systems are experimental programs. We don't know if they will completely replace the need for a pilot.

This is why the future NGAD, GCAP and FCAS are all being developed as "optionally manned" platforms.
 

dBSPL

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I don't think I've seen so many "guests" in a threat before 😂


I think we are going to have at least enough Kaan to completely replace F-16s in the future, so, around 250-300. But I do like the idea of a single engine naval TF-X, much much more than naval Hürjet. Aircraft carrier is a project for late 2030s - 2040s at best, so we are should have more than enough time to get started on Kaan serial production and design a naval stealth fighter based on its design. Double seater drone commander is an interesting idea as well, could combine beautifully with Anka-3/4 and KE, but I'd be happy with a single seater as well.
I think we will see things that go one step beyond the optional manned fighter jet; which canopy is designed as a flexible payload compartment, and that we will see extreme ideas that combine a manned flight configuration with an unmanned fighter UCAV in the same airframe. Thanks to this additional mission compartment, unmanned aircraft can, with the integration of tons of additional avionics, turn into a SOJ that can cover an entire wing if needed, or even into an airborne early warning aircraft. Or with additional fuel it can go to extraordinary ranges.

KAAN, Anka-X and Hürjet are preparing an incredible infrastructure, the engine problem is about to be overcome, from here on, the creativity of the design offices and pushing the limits of the operational doctrines determined by the force staff. From the very early stages of KAAN's production, the process will be, in a sense, an adaptation of advanced variants to the operational qualities of what is now defined as the sixth generation. And these new capability gains will have a direct impact on future platform conceptualizations.
 

IC3M@N FX

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dBSPL

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Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, President of Defense Industries, met with the test pilots and the project team after the first flight of the National Fighter Aircraft KAAN

SSB President Görgün: "Our work is just beginning. Today is a milestone, the beginning of our new goals"

KAAN's Pilot Barbaros Demirbaş: "If we have lifted the plane, we will fly it, if we have flown it, we will land it, and if we have landed it, we will stop it. We did the mission safely."

Within the scope of the National Combat Aircraft KAAN Project, which was initiated by the Presidency of the Presidency of Defense Industries in order to meet the combat aircraft needs of the Air Force Command and developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the first flight was successfully carried out.

After the first flight, Görgün met with the Test Pilots and the Project Team, congratulated the team and noted that this success is just the beginning, and that we have a busy period ahead of us on the road to our goals.

The production activities of KAAN, which has all the capabilities of the 5th Generation Fighter Aircraft, such as high maneuverability, low radar visibility, avionic architecture open to development, increased situational awareness, precision targeting and interoperability, started in March 2022.

Component assemblies were completed between May and November 2022, and the final assembly line was commissioned in November 2022. Following the intensive system tests carried out in December 2022 and January 2023, the aircraft exited the hangar ahead of schedule on February 10, 2023, and the first engine start-up was carried out on February 12, 2023.

On March 17, 2023, the first slow taxi tests were successfully completed, and pre-flight tests were completed by carrying out the necessary reinforcement activities until the first flight.

In addition, for the configuration to be delivered to the Air Force Command, aircraft and system requirements were defined, air and system functions were determined and the preliminary design phase was completed.

KAAN made its first flight today, staying in the air for 13 minutes and reaching an altitude of 8000 feet and a speed of 230 knots.

(cited from Savunma SanayiST)

 

Afif

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I truly congratulate the Turkish nation🥳🥳🥳🔥🔥🔥🎈🎈🎈
A feat that will be recorded in history and above all, haters are burning red on social media, loooool

When even Erdogan is having fun with KAAN's first flight 👌😂

What did they say? They can't. Despite these self-confidence poor people, indigestionists who say that its part looks like a radiator, and despite the collaborators who tried to sabotage the KAAN project from the first moment, our national combat aircraft met the skies today, thank God.

— President Erdogan



I think contemporary Turkish government will take a lot of credits for KAAN specifically, and for overall success of Turkish defence industry as it progress forward. Of course they didn't make it, it's those engineers and technicians working day and night relentlessly. Nor was it made possible by the politicians own money. It's all state funds that made it possible. To put it simply, Of the people, by the people, for the people.

But then, it is not like many countries doesn't have talents or enough resources. They do actually, but why isn't many more 5th gen fighters out there? Because in the end they didn't had the persistent & firm political will at the top. We may don't like the politicians (and rightly so) but then, they also run our country, literally the whole state. In the end, their decision making and ability to organize something that massive, makes magnitudes of difference. So, credit where it's due.
 
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Iskander

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IMO, Kaan will not be produced in large quantities like the F-16 due to manufacturing and operating costs. IMO, we need another fighter that is suitable for mass production and is cost-effective.

This fighter: 1) capable of controlling drones, i.e. double seated, 2) stealth&navalize, 3) must be single engine.
Let's assume that 200-250 KAAN is enough for Türkiye. Producing such a small quantity is very expensive and not economically profitable. This means you will need to export. I think that there will be not just a lot of people who want to buy KAAN, but a lot. Even if 20 of the 50 Muslim countries buy 4 squadrons each, that’s already 1000 aircraft. There are many other countries to which the United States does not sell its 5th generation fighters. And so, if we exclude other conditions (financial, political), I have 1000 fighters. And I agree with your opinion regarding the single-engine fighter.

It seems like this has never happened here before - Photo from The War Zone

1708537497831.png
 
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dBSPL

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Where is Dr. Temel Kotil? I couldn't see him anywhere.
Presumably, he was at a special event as the guest of honor of the Ankara branch of Baklava producers. KAAN is the world's first baklava empowered fighter jet development, no irony. 🙃

All joking aside, Kotil has not been as much in the media lately as he used to be. But the fact that he was so much in the background on this historic day is a question mark in my mind too. I hope it is not a problem with his health and the programs were planned in this way.
 

dBSPL

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Let's assume that 200-250 KAAN is enough for Türkiye. Producing such a small quantity is very expensive and not economically profitable. This means you will need to export. I think that there will be not just a lot of people who want to buy KAAN, but a lot. Even if 20 of the 50 Muslim countries buy 4 squadrons each, that’s already 1000 aircraft. There are many other countries to which the United States does not sell its 5th generation fighters. And so, if we exclude other conditions (financial, political), I have 1000 fighters. And I agree with your opinion regarding the single-engine fighter.

It seems like this has never happened here before - Photo from The War Zone

View attachment 65808
I estimate that around +350 airframes will be produced in different configurations to serve in the Turkish Armed Forces, and I estimate that will be able to serve in the air forces of at least 5-6 different countries. In addition, I consider TAI officials statements that 'we have started 6th generation studies' as an extension of the KAAN program, in other words, I predict that a smooth transition to the next-nextgen jet is planned. I mean, almost every technology will be applicable in KAAN first until the need to change the airframe.
 
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