Türkiye made a significant breakthrough in the defense industry. It has achieved a milestone in domestic and national production.
Adding to the fearsome AKINCI, AKSUNGUR, SİHA, ANKA, and ATAK helicopters, the indigenous and National Combat Aircraft KAAN joined the ranks. KAAN, the domestically produced National Combat Aircraft, was unveiled on May 1st in a magnificent ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Since its presentation and the world's attention drawn to it, the work on KAAN has intensified.
Collaboration with Azerbaijan
With the witness of the Defense Industry Presidency, the National Combat Aircraft Development Collaboration Protocol was signed between the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan and TUSAŞ AŞ during the 16th International Defense Industry Fair, IDEF. This move involves Azerbaijan, the brotherly country, as the indigenous combat aircraft KAAN is expected to take its first flight by the end of 2023 and become a permanent fixture in the skies with a Turkish engine in 2028.
A joint project will be undertaken.
The protocol aims to determine the working principles and procedures for collaboration with Azerbaijan, including the development activities of the 5th generation National Combat Aircraft KAAN, which is being developed for the Turkish Air Force. Additionally, the protocol aims to identify and evaluate local capabilities in Azerbaijan within the scope of the KAAN Project, prepare for production in suitable facilities or companies, enhance production capabilities, and facilitate the exchange of experiences.
After mutual visits and discussions of the working groups, it was planned to produce some subsystems of the KAAN Project in Azerbaijan. Defense industry cooperation between the two brotherly countries will continue. During the signing ceremony, Haluk Görgün, the President of Defense Industry, emphasized that the collaboration with Azerbaijan was continuously growing, and both countries had made numerous agreements together in the defense field.
National Combat Aircraft specifications
The 5th generation multirole combat aircraft, MMU, provides superior capabilities for both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat requirements. Being a powerful and agile platform with high survivability, the MMU from Turkish Aerospace Industries is a complete warrior, equipped with intelligent and potent combat capabilities. One of the most crucial steps in the MMU Development Project is the determination and optimization of aerodynamic geometry, using advanced engineering tools and methods.
5th generation combat aircraft
The cockpit design of the National Combat Aircraft is being matured with a focus on reducing the pilot's workload, considering the capabilities and equipment required for 5th generation combat aircraft. During the design process, the physical, cognitive, and environmental factors that affect the pilot are taken into account to develop a cockpit environment that enhances the pilot's situational awareness.
