Turkish Aerospace Advancing Additional Kaan Prototypes
LONDON—Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has revealed it is advancing development of a second prototype of the Kaan indigenous combat aircraft.
In articles published in the company’s in-house journal at the beginning of May to mark the first flight of the Kaan prototype earlier this year, the company says production of the second prototype, referred to as P1, is “proceeding according to schedule.” It is scheduled to move into final assembly later this year and be placed onto its landing gear in 2025, before flying later that year, the documents state.
TAI says it will produce 29 Kaan prototypes, but these likely will include the first 20 pre-production standard aircraft. The OEM hopes to begin delivering them to the Turkish Air Force beginning in 2028.
The first prototype, which has made two flights—on Feb. 21 May 6—is referred to as P0. According to the TAI articles, P0 was produced in just nine months to meet three needs: as a “demonstration to government officials, to perform a hangar rollout and display aircraft engine starting.”
It appears P0 then was adapted for flight using “newly developed strengthening systems,” writes the Kaan program assembly manager, Celal Onur Alkas. A series of structural checks was conducted to ensure the prototype could deal with “anticipated flight loads,” reports Ugur Zengin, the TAI executive vice president for the Turkish fighter program. The aircraft also was fitted with a new canopy for bird-strike testing, while the landing gear was rigorously tested, he notes.
The aircraft originally was due to make its first flight on Feb. 20, but “minor deviations” from the simulation were noted in the flight control system so the flight was delayed.
The OEM says the Kaan is 90% indigenous, with 100 Turkish companies supporting the program. Some 24 of the 30 subsystems used on P0 were supplied by domestic companies and work is continuing to localize parts sourced from foreign entities.
Among the foreign components are the General Electric F110 engine from the Lockheed Martin F-16, two of which power the prototype Kaan. The other is the Martin-Baker ejection seat. TAI-owned TUSAS Engine Industries (TEI) and TR Motor are leading development of an indigenous engine to replace the F110 for later blocks of the fighter.
As part of the development of the pre-production aircraft that will form Block 0, system architectural design has been completed and during 2024, engineers will work on “establishing test procedures.” Also, during 2024, two system integration laboratories will be commissioned.
System critical-design review meetings with subcontractors are expected in the second quarter of 2024, followed by critical-design review meetings for Block 10 aircraft systems in the third quarter, the articles state.
Work also is ongoing on qualifying materials for low-observability, as well as wind-tunnel and flight-control system testing. A roadmap is being developed for the software to equip the aircraft entering Turkish Air Force service in 2028, as well as the ground software that will assist maintainers.
TAI also is continuing construction of infrastructure to support development efforts at its Ankara campus. Projects include test facilities for lightning strikes, near-field radar cross-section trials, and structural test and verification. The articles also mention development of a flying-test laboratory that is expected to make use of a second-hand business jet, as first reported by Aviation Week.
“The facilities and infrastructures that Kaan has brought to our country and our company during the development process will play a significant role in realizing numerous projects as the hub of the Turkish aviation,” writes TAI Chairman Rafet Bozdogan.
TAI officials also are working on “cooperation models” with foreign companies as the company looks to expand the Kaan program beyond Turkey, explains Osman Eldar Donmez, the Kaan program’s subcontracts manager. Agreements on the program have been signed with Azerbaijan.
“We are currently collaborating closely with the Presidency of Defense Industry Agency to advance these efforts,” Donmez adds.
The articles also say TAI already is looking beyond the Kaan and is “actively engaged in developing sixth-generation [combat] aircraft. However, no details have yet emerged about potential concepts.
