A critical threshold has been crossed in Türkiye's biggest aviation project, the National Combat Aircraft KAAN. During the visit of Haluk Görgün, President of Defense Industries, to TUSAŞ facilities, the latest status of KAAN on the production line was revealed. In the shared photos, the prototype that performed the first flight, new prototypes on the assembly line, and the full-scale static test aircraft appeared in the same frame for the first time. Görgün announced that the contract process for delivery to the Air Force Command has officially begun.
Türkiye's 5th generation fighter jet project, KAAN, is rapidly evolving from the development (R&D) phase towards mass production and inventory preparation. The hangar visit carried out by SSB President Haluk Görgün and TUSAŞ General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu proved that the project does not consist of a single prototype, but that a massive factory order has been established behind the scenes.
Simultaneous Engineering: Flyers and the Breaker in the Same Frame
The most striking detail of the visit was the density in the shared photos. The first prototype that met the skies in early 2024, the new prototypes preparing for their first flight, and the Full-Scale Static Test Aircraft produced for structural durability tests were displayed together.
Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün emphasized the strategic importance of this picture:
"The fact that our prototypes that performed and will perform the first flight and our static test aircraft are in the same frame shows that our development, verification, and mass production preparation processes are progressing simultaneously and in a planned manner."
This statement indicates that TUSAŞ is following a modern project management methodology where all processes are carried out in parallel to save time, instead of the classic build-fly-test cycle.
Critical News: Delivery Contract Begins
The most concrete news of the visit came from the bureaucracy and procurement side. Prof. Dr. Görgün announced that the official process for KAAN's entry into the Turkish Air Force inventory has started with these words: "The contract process regarding the delivery of KAAN to our Air Force Command is being initiated."
This step serves as a declaration that the KAAN project has evolved from a technology demonstration into an official procurement project and that the inventory entry schedule has gained official status.
Why is the Static Test Aircraft Important?
The Full-Scale Static Test Aircraft examined during the visit is one of the invisible heroes of the project. This aircraft will never fly, but it will determine the fate of the project. It will be subjected to thousands of tons of loads by ground hydraulic systems to test the airframe life and structural limits. Görgün's expression reached the final stage indicates that KAAN's structural analyses are about to be completed and the aircraft's physical limits are being verified.
300 Companies, 5,000 Qualified Personnel
The KAAN project is positioned as a joint project not only of TUSAŞ but of the entire Turkish industry. According to the disclosed data, the project is growing with a giant supply chain consisting of over 300 companies and over 5,000 qualified human resources in more than 20 cities.
TUSAŞ General Manager Dr. Mehmet Demiroğlu described the project as the most concrete manifestation of the national will, stating that the work continues with high discipline in line with the schedule. Indigenous engine development studies and phased capability increases (Block models) are also continuing resolutely.
