When I read about FCAS problems I read only of the France-Germany problems regarding their interests. No mention of Spain's interests. In Spain's shoes I would be thinking of getting away from the other partners if I could see a way out. Some involvement in KAAN is a possible way out.
I guess that if FCAS folds in the next few months, Spain will be interested in any offer Turkiye makes. Apart from buying aircraft for its air force, what could Spain do as a partner to contribute to the success of the programme? What contribution do the current partners make?
Currently there are 3 so called partners in the Kaan project.
Azerbaijan : Involved in it financially.
Pakistan : Involved in the program with technical expertise and possible assembly line help.
Egypt : Probably some form of assembly and small parts manufacturing.
None of these “partners“ have the capability to add something new or significant to the project apart from money, partial cheaper labour and being
potential final buyer. Depending on their contribution level they will probably get the Kaan at a reduced price level.
Pakistan has been manufacturing almost 60% of the JF-17 body in house. Also they have been testing and maintaining what they have assembled. They have an assembly line and engineers that know about a fairly modern jet fighter production. They can contribute and also learn from Tusas in return.
Spain too has been manufacturing the Typhoon’s right wing in house and have a final assembly line for their jets. They are also major contributor to the design and production of the EJ200 engine. Their ITP Aero company was a subsidiary of RR until recently. They were the people that designed and manufactured the TVC version of that engine as a prototype.
As well as financially, they can contribute technically too.
Kaan, is not Kaan until it is fully laden with all the tech, avionics, BURFIS and millions of lines of written data that is incorporated in it. What makes Kaan a 5th generation top dog is the culmination of all the knowledge, design intricacies, it’s new engine and it’s Aesa radar system all coming together.
You can’t just buy an empty shell of Kaan and use it as it is. It is not a trainer aircraft. It is the pinnacle of Turkish Aerospace engineering, finding a body in the form of Kaan. You have to buy it in it’s finished form.