National Combat Aircraft KAAN Successfully Completes Its Second Flight

Under the National Combat Aircraft KAAN Project initiated by the Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB), the second flight was successfully conducted by Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) on May 6, 2024.

Following the second flight, President of Defence Industries Haluk GÖRGÜN met with the Test Pilots and the Project Team, stating: "We are excited, and at the same time, proud. We witnessed another important day in Turkish aviation history. KAAN made its second flight today, having completed its first flight on February 21. The first flight achieved the planned pre-flight objectives successfully. After evaluating and analyzing the data obtained from the first flight, preparations for the second flight were completed, and we conducted our second flight this morning. Like the first flight, it was very successful. The data obtained from this flight will be evaluated by the entire team, and preparations will continue for subsequent flights. I thank all our employees, engineers, pilots, and test pilots involved, and I hope it will be auspicious for our nation. Everyone was incredibly excited from the early hours of the morning, praying and hoping for this flight to take off and land successfully. All those who contributed tried to be here, experiencing this moment together."

KAAN is expected to have all the capabilities of 5th Generation Fighter Aircraft, including high maneuverability, low radar cross section, an open avionics architecture, enhanced situational awareness, precise targeting, and interoperability.

Between May and November 2022, component assemblies were completed, and the final assembly line was put into operation in November 2022. Following intensive system tests conducted in December 2022 and January 2023, the aircraft was rolled out ahead of schedule on February 10, 2023, and the first engine run was performed on February 12, 2023. The first slow taxi tests were successfully completed on March 17, 2023. Structural strengthening activities and the necessary pre-flight tests for the first flight were conducted during this period, culminating in the first flight on February 21, 2024.

Simultaneously, for the configuration to be delivered to the Turkish Air Force Command, aircraft and system requirements were defined, and the preliminary design phase was completed. During its second flight, KAAN remained airborne for 14 minutes, reaching an altitude of 10,000 feet and a speed of 230 knots.