A New Dawn in Aviation: The Rise of Turkey’s KAAN

The story of KAAN is not merely about engineering excellence — it is about transformation. Turkey, once a loyal customer in the global defense market, is now emerging as a key supplier. The KAAN fighter jet, formerly known as TF-X or MMU (Milli Muharip Uçak), represents this evolution. More than a military asset, KAAN is the embodiment of national resilience, innovation, and a bold ambition to claim a seat at the table of fifth-generation fighter jet producers.

When the U.S. ousted Turkey from the F-35 program due to Ankara’s procurement of Russian S-400 missile systems, it was seen by many as a significant setback. But for Turkey, it became a catalyst. Out of that geopolitical friction came KAAN — Turkey’s answer to strategic dependency, and its declaration of defense autonomy.

Design Meets Capability: Engineering Turkey’s Future in the Skies

The KAAN fighter jet has been meticulously crafted to meet and eventually exceed the expectations set by its American counterparts — the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. With a length of approximately 21 meters and a wingspan of 14 meters, KAAN mirrors the silhouette of existing stealth fighters but brings with it a unique technological fingerprint.

Powered by twin General Electric F110 engines, KAAN is capable of achieving a top speed of Mach 1.8, supported by supercruise capabilities that allow sustained supersonic flight without afterburners. While the aircraft currently utilizes American-made engines, Turkey is actively working to replace them with domestically developed powerplants by the early 2030s, underscoring a commitment to full independence in fighter jet manufacturing.

KAAN’s design philosophy is forward-looking. Its internal weapons bays preserve stealth profiles, while external hardpoints expand its multirole capacity. A maximum payload of 10 tons allows it to outperform both the F-22 and F-35 in this critical area. Enhanced avionics, radar-absorbing materials, and a suite of AI-enhanced combat systems — like the MURAD AESA radar and TULGAR helmet system — equip KAAN with situational awareness capabilities that are essential for 21st-century warfare.

Flight-Proven and Forward-Projected

February 21, 2024, marked a pivotal moment when the KAAN completed its maiden flight. Although short, the 13-minute flight symbolized the culmination of years of intense research, development, and national investment. This was not a prototype in theory — it was a tangible leap into the skies, and the beginning of a test regime that will span through 2026.

By that year, Turkey’s Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) plans to have six prototypes in testing, progressing toward full weapons integration and operational readiness. The timeline is ambitious. By 2028, the Turkish Air Force is scheduled to receive its first batch of 20 KAAN jets, initiating a new chapter in Turkey’s aerial dominance.

A Platform Designed to Inspire and Influence

KAAN is not just another military platform; it is a blueprint for how nations can recast their position in a highly competitive and strategically sensitive industry. By embedding artificial intelligence into its avionics and incorporating a modular architecture that enables rapid technological adaptation, KAAN sets a precedent for modern air combat philosophy.

Turkey is doing more than building a fighter jet — it is reshaping perceptions. The project invites countries to think beyond buying weapons and instead consider building ecosystems. With its projected integration with unmanned combat drones and its capabilities tailored for collaborative, multi-domain operations, KAAN signals a new model for sovereignty in defense technology.

This paradigm is especially appealing for countries seeking to balance great-power competition with local autonomy. It is this combination of strategic flexibility and advanced technology that positions KAAN as a compelling alternative to the traditionally dominant players in the global fighter jet market.

Strategic Partnerships Shaping the Jet’s Global Identity

While KAAN began as a national response to geopolitical constraints, it has quickly become an international collaboration. Countries such as Azerbaijan and Pakistan are not merely investors — they are co-creators. Azerbaijan is expected to be the first international operator of KAAN, while Pakistan is developing subsystems and preparing to host a domestic assembly line. This collaborative approach is strengthening the defense-industrial capabilities of all parties involved.

Other regional powers have shown strong interest. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are actively exploring co-production agreements. Malaysia and Indonesia are evaluating partnership opportunities, and Ukraine is contributing to engine development while planning future procurement. The appeal is clear: KAAN is more than a platform — it is a pathway to developing sovereign defense industries with access to high-caliber aerospace technology.

Toward 2030: From Prototype to Powerhouse

The path ahead is charted with precision. With more test flights scheduled in 2025 and expanded integration phases through 2026, the program is poised for acceleration. Deliveries to the Turkish Air Force are targeted by 2028, with international partners set to follow shortly thereafter. Production scalability, localized manufacturing, and ongoing innovations will keep KAAN competitive throughout the next decade.

As Turkey positions itself as a major player in the global defense landscape, KAAN serves as both a technological milestone and a diplomatic bridge. Partner countries gain not only a world-class fighter jet but also access to knowledge transfer, production capabilities, and long-term strategic cooperation.

Strategic Leverage: Azerbaijan’s Calculated Leap into Aerospace Sovereignty

A crucial yet under-discussed dimension of the KAAN fighter jet program is the geopolitical foresight exhibited by Azerbaijan in its decision to participate early and decisively. This move, endorsed and backed by President Ilham Aliyev, marks a transformational moment not just for Azerbaijan’s defense posture but for its entire industrial and diplomatic trajectory.

By investing in and co-producing the KAAN jet, Azerbaijan positions itself within a rare ecosystem of NATO-aligned technological collaboration. This is a first for the region—a former Soviet republic entering into a deep, semi-structured defense innovation partnership alongside Turkey, a NATO member, and indirectly aligning itself with NATO-standard aerospace practices. Such participation grants Azerbaijan unique access to technologies, protocols, and design philosophies typically reserved for long-standing alliance members.

What truly sets Azerbaijan apart, however, is not just its capital investment—but its human capital involvement. Hundreds of Azerbaijani engineers and defense specialists are now actively contributing to the program, working shoulder to shoulder with Turkish experts and collaborating on next-generation aviation systems. This on-the-ground participation unlocks first-hand exposure to stealth design, AI-enhanced avionics, modular weapons systems, and mission-critical integration—all of which fast-track the nation’s intellectual capacity and R&D prowess.

The result? Azerbaijan is now in an unrivaled position within its region. No other neighboring country enjoys this level of embedded collaboration in a NATO-grade project. With its workers actively co-creating the future of fifth-generation combat aviation, Azerbaijan is not only gaining the technical know-how but is also shaping how that technology is deployed, adapted, and expanded upon. This workforce integration builds a foundation for long-term strategic influence in defense supply chains, joint ventures, and future development programs—extending far beyond KAAN.

Moreover, Azerbaijan’s collaboration with Turkey opens indirect corridors of dialogue and interoperability with key NATO members like the United Kingdom and the United States. Through KAAN, Baku gains strategic proximity to Western defense ecosystems while maintaining its political autonomy—a balancing act few countries have managed so successfully.

This is not merely about jets. This is about national positioning. Azerbaijan is asserting itself not just as a buyer of military technology, but as a contributor, a partner, and an innovator. President Aliyev’s decision sets a precedent that could reshape defense cooperation models for non-NATO states seeking access to advanced platforms without compromising their sovereignty.

In essence, Azerbaijan’s involvement with KAAN—and the embedding of its workforce in its very development—signals a stealth entry into the defense innovation fold of the Western alliance. It is a masterstroke of strategy, positioning Azerbaijan not just as a participant, but as a co-architect of the region’s future military-industrial balance.

Conclusion: Redrawing the Global Aviation Map

The KAAN fighter jet is not merely a response to exclusion or a reaction to foreign pressure. It is an initiative born from the need to lead, not follow. By blending cutting-edge technology, strategic alliances, and a vision of self-reliance, Turkey has done more than build a new aircraft — it has created a new model for global defense engagement.

In an era defined by complexity and uncertainty, KAAN offers a rare clarity: innovation rooted in purpose, cooperation driven by mutual gain, and a future shaped not by the constraints of others, but by the ambition of those willing to take flight.