TR Air-Force TF-X KAAN Fighter Jet

[Strong AI]

I find it highly unrealistic that the TAI KAAN could be delivered by the end of 2028 — even by late 2028. Of the six announced prototypes, there is still no trace — we have seen neither images of their assembly nor concrete indications of their completion, and we are already approaching August 2025.

In just about four months, it will already be 2026. Considering that a complex, unstable fighter aircraft requires several years of intensive testing, I seriously wonder when these tests are supposed to begin. Even if all six prototypes were ready to fly immediately, two and a half years would still be extremely tight for a complete and meaningful test and validation campaign.

Already during KAAN’s maiden flight, it was evident that the flight behavior was very cautious: no significant maneuvers, no sharp turns, no aggressive pitch‑up or rolls — seemingly to avoid overloading the flight control system. This suggests that the software was running in a very conservative “safe mode” during that flight, allowing only minimal movements. Unlike the Hürjet, which is aerodynamically stable by design, the KAAN is conceptually an unstable aircraft.

Such unstable designs are chosen deliberately to achieve extreme agility — but they do not maintain stable flight by themselves and must be constantly corrected by a highly sophisticated digital fly‑by‑wire system. Developing and especially fine‑tuning such a system requires a substantial amount of testing and development time.

For comparison:
– The F‑22 Raptor required around eight years from its first flight to Initial Operational Capability (IOC), despite enormous U.S. resources and experience.
– The Chinese J‑20 took about seven years to reach IOC.
– The Eurofighter Typhoon took roughly ten years from first flight to its first operational tranche.

For KAAN to reach full air superiority capability — with complex maneuvers, full weapons integration, and a reliable flight control system — a timeline of just around two and a half years seems unrealistic. Even if all six prototypes were completed immediately, they would still need to undergo parallel, intensive test programs for structure, flight dynamics, avionics, weapons, and software.

Getting an unstable fighter aircraft into the air is one thing — mastering it across its full operational spectrum with high reliability and full performance is quite another.

Therefore, I consider a cautious initial service entry (Block 10) in 2029 at the earliest to be realistic. For a mature aircraft with full operational capability (Block 20–30), one should realistically expect 2032 or later.

“Our goal is to finish the first prototype in the first quarter of next year and to start flight tests,” says TAI chief executive Mehmet Demiroglu. That aircraft will be followed by a second prototype due to get airborne in mid-2026, and then a third following early in 2027.

“We have promised a very challenging timeline for our air force. We are still shooting for 2028… ish,” he says, with the exact date to be driven by factors also including the airframer’s supply chain – issues there already have seen it slip its schedule for the first prototype’s debut sortie beyond the end of this year.

 

[uçuyorum]

As long as there is a prototype that flies and drops a few bombs they can symbolically deliver it. The actual initial operational capability target was 2031 or something.

 

[Claudia]

In order to meet Turkish Air Force (TurAF) requirements beyond 2030s, an indigenous design and development program aims to replace the aging F-16 fleet of TurAF.

Within the scope of TF-X Program, Turkey will become one of the few countries to possess the necessary technologies, engineering infrastructure and production capabilities. Once the engineering activities on all the critical technologies are accomplished (e.g. increased situational awareness, sensor fusion, low observability, weapon bay, …etc), which are needed by a 5th generation (or beyond) jet fighter aircraft.

TF-X aircraft is planned to be kept operational in the TurAF inventory until 2070s and will be interoperable with other critical assets of TurAF such as F-35As.

The TF-X indigenous design and development program prime contract between Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) of Ministry of Turkish National Defence and Turkish Aerospace has been signed on 5th of August 2016.

The timing of this signature alone, is a key demonstrator of Turkey’s determination of running mega-projects uninterruptedly, even under extra-ordinary conditions.

Currently, the prime contract covers the initial four (4) years (starting after signature of major subcontracts) which will end up with completion of preliminary design phase. Within this period beyond the design and development of TF-X Aircraft, engineering capabilities, technology development activities (for key sensors like radar, electronic warfare..etc.), test infrastructures establishment and certification processes will be performed and extensive capabilities for a new generation jet fighter design, development and production will be gained by Turkish industry.

Is it ready to fight ?

 

[Strong AI]

Is it ready to fight ?

TF-X was the placeholder name for KAAN. No, KAAN is not ready.

 

[TheInsider]

Kaan will have 360-degree jamming and 270-degree radar coverage.

 

[IC3M@N FX]

Kaan will have 360-degree jamming and 270-degree radar coverage.

Is this confirmed or just speculation?
If KAAN has 360° AESA radar then it would inevitably have to have SU-57 MARS (DARS).
We know that it has AESA Radar + DAS, but MARS was more a wish of all of us than the actual reality.
To this day there is no official confirmation.

 

[TR_123456]

Kaan will have 360-degree jamming and 270-degree radar coverage.

So,why only 270-degree radar coverage?
Why not 360?

 

[TheInsider]

Is this confirmed or just speculation?
If KAAN has 360° AESA radar then it would inevitably have to have SU-57 MARS (DARS).
We know that it has AESA Radar + DAS, but MARS was more a wish of all of us than the actual reality.
To this day there is no official confirmation.

Confirmed %100. Kaan will have 1 nose and 2 cheek AESA radars for approx 270 degree coverage. AESA radars can be utilized as jammers. Kaan will have a jammer antenna between engines that will provide additional coverage, so 360 degree jammming coverage will be achieved.

 

[TheInsider]

So,why only 270-degree radar coverage?
Why not 360?

Your guess is as good as mine.

 

[Turkic]

Confirmed %100. Kaan will have 1 nose and 2 cheek AESA radars for approx 270 degree coverage. AESA radars can be utilized as jammers. Kaan will have a jammer antenna between engines that will provide additional coverage, so 360 degree jammming coverage will be achieved.

What happened to the rear radar that was supposed to be between the engines? Was it just speculation or they decided to replace it with a jammer?

 

[TheInsider]

What happened to the rear radar that was supposed to be between the engines? Was it just speculation or they decided to replace it with a jammer?

It is said that there will be a jamming antenna at that spot. Maybe It is too small for an AESA array and they decided to put a jamming antenna instead.

 

[Strong AI]

TAI CEO:

We will hear news in the coming days about KAAN (signing)
(Previous part about Hürjet is in the Hürjet thread)

At like 8:38 min

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1948278158190362665

 

[CAN_TR]

So,why only 270-degree radar coverage?
Why not 360?

Maybe limits of power generation for the AESA radars or maybe because it's not useful to have a AESA radar sticking out of KAAN's butt

 

[IC3M@N FX]

Confirmed %100. Kaan will have 1 nose and 2 cheek AESA radars for approx 270 degree coverage. AESA radars can be utilized as jammers. Kaan will have a jammer antenna between engines that will provide additional coverage, so 360 degree jammming coverage will be achieved.

Where from? Is there a reliable source that officially confirms this? I'm not talking about an X (Twitter) account belonging to military expert Person A, B, or C, but official statements from Aselsan/TAI.
It would surprise me if they had disclosed almost all of the TAI KAAN's features publicly, even the color of the TAI CEO's underwear (Sarcastic) except for the 360° AESA Radar.

 

[Strong AI]

I mean, you don't turn your back when you want to target someone. So 360 degree coverage for jamming and RWR detection is more important.

Confirmed %100. Kaan will have 1 nose and 2 cheek AESA radars for approx 270 degree coverage. AESA radars can be utilized as jammers. Kaan will have a jammer antenna between engines that will provide additional coverage, so 360 degree jammming coverage will be achieved.

Does that mean KAAN's radar will be able to support a launched missile at for example 90 degrees offset to the target too?

 

[Strong AI]

Where from? Is there a reliable source that officially confirms this? I'm not talking about an X (Twitter) account belonging to military expert Person A, B, or C, but official statements from Aselsan/TAI.
It would surprise me if they had disclosed almost all of the TAI KAAN's features publicly, even the color of the TAI CEO's underwear (Sarcastic) except for the 360° AESA Radar.

A source would be great of course.
But let's assume you are the enemy, what you gonna do now with that information, try to sneak behind (lol)?
These kind of informations are more like those poisonous animals with very bright colors and for export customers (IMO).

 

[TheInsider]

Reportedly, there are jammer antennas distributed around Kaan seperate from the nose and cheek radars that can also act like a jammer and aft spot between the engines can host one jammer antenna but can't host a radar array. Of course, all RF assets, be it radar arrays, seperate jammers, passive receivers and iff will be integrated under BURFIS.

 

[TheInsider]

I mean, you don't turn your back when you want to target someone. So 360 degree coverage for jamming and RWR detection is more important.



Does that mean KAAN's radar will be able to support a launched missile at for example 90 degrees offset to the target too?

This is not a problem in modern A-A warfare; it was solved long ago.

 

[TheInsider]

Where from? Is there a reliable source that officially confirms this? I'm not talking about an X (Twitter) account belonging to military expert Person A, B, or C, but official statements from Aselsan/TAI.
It would surprise me if they had disclosed almost all of the TAI KAAN's features publicly, even the color of the TAI CEO's underwear (Sarcastic) except for the 360° AESA Radar.

My source directly asked TUSAS official at IDEF but of course it is possible that he might be a marketing person that doesn't have deep knowledge about the project having said that i doubt that and i consider this true unless i see a more reliable source

 

[Strong AI]

This is not a problem in modern A-A warfare; it was solved long ago.

Are you talking about support of the missile through Datalink?
Because there is no nose radar with that great area of coverage.
How can the launching platform support the missile when the target is no more in the coverage area? Those missiles like Aim-120 need to be supported until a specific range to the target is reached, before they go active with their own seeker.