SOFREP Pic of the Day: The Wrath of KAAN, Turkey’s Fifth Generation Fighter Jet

Today, we take a closer look at the Turkish KAAN fighter Jet, officially named the TF-X.

Home Grown Stealth

Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in collaboration with other partners, this jet is designed to enhance the capabilities of the Turkish Air Force and reduce dependency on foreign aircraft technology. The KAAN fighter jet is notable for its stealth features, internal and external weapon-carrying capacity, advanced electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system, supercruise abilities, and advanced data link capabilities.

The KAAN project began in 2010 but saw significant acceleration after 2019 when Turkey was removed from the F-35 program due to its acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defense system. This led to increased national efforts to develop an indigenous fighter capability. The aircraft’s development includes the involvement of multiple global and local partners, focusing on features like low observability and advanced avionics to classify it among fifth-generation fighters.

The first test flight of the KAAN took place on February 21, 2024, marking a significant milestone in Turkey’s defense manufacturing capabilities. This flight demonstrated the jet’s operational features and performance parameters under real conditions.