To be completely honest I've been out of the loop with KAAN for some time, busy with work, but also frustrated with our government in Türkiye which has really taken the taste out of recent defence industry accomplishments.
But the recent decline in relations between the US and European nations makes me wonder if we could see more cooperation on the KAAN project. If I remember correctly, we're using GE engines for prototypes, then transitioning to indigenous engines once they're ready. We know that in the early stages of the project, British Aerospace assisted, along with using Dassault digital twin software. I wonder if Rolls Royce could enter the program again, perhaps not to replace our indigenous engine program, but assist in speeding it up and perhaps even supplying its own engines for European buyers of KAAN. Would be the biggest finger up to the US.
Imagine nations all the way from western Europe to Central Asia and beyond being armed with KAAN jets. US hegemony would end, Russia and China would be spooked. Time for the small fish to unite.
For this to happen, EU needs to stop treating Turkey like it does, but simultaneously we need to fix our own problems. EU and Turkey may hate each other, but for the next 30 years they will need eachother.
