KAAN
Turkish fifth-generation stealth twin-engine air superiority fighter under development by Turkish Aerospace Industries to replace the Turkish Air Force's F-16 fleet from the late 2020s.
| Crew | 1 |
| Length | 20.3 m (66.6 ft) |
| Wingspan | 13.4 m (44.0 ft) |
| Height | 5 m (16.4 ft) |
| Wing area | 71.6 m² (770.7 sqft) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 34,750 kg (76,611 lbs) |
| Powerplant | 2 × General Electric F110-GE-129 66 kN each |
| Maximum speed | 1912 km/h (Mach 1.91) |
| Service ceiling | 16,764 m (55,000 ft) |
- Gökdoğan BVR air-to-air missile
- Gökhan ramjet-powered BVR air-to-air missile
- Bozdoğan short-range IR air-to-air missile
- SOM cruise missile family
- Kuzgun air-to-surface missile family
- Akbaba anti-radiation missile
- Çakır cruise missile family
- HGK-82/83/84 precision-guided bombs
- KGK-82/83 wing-assisted guidance kits
- Teber-81/82 laser-guided bombs
- SARB-83 and NEB-84 penetrator bombs
- MAM-T smart micro munition
Description
The TAI KAAN, previously known as the TF-X and MMU (Milli Muharip Uçak, "National Combat Aircraft"), is a fifth-generation stealth, twin-engine, all-weather air superiority fighter developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Approved in 2010 and formally contracted in 2016, the program aims to replace the Turkish Air Force's F-16 Fighting Falcons, with BAE Systems providing design assistance under a 2017 agreement.
Design
The KAAN features internal weapons bays, an airframe optimized for low radar cross-section, and supercruise ambitions. TAI's preliminary specifications list a length of 20.3 m, a maximum takeoff weight of 34,750 kg, a top speed of Mach 1.8, and a 16,764 m service ceiling. Prototypes and initial Block 10 aircraft use two General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofans of 131 kN each in afterburner, pending the indigenous TEI TF35000 engine planned after 2030. The sensor suite includes ASELSAN's MURAD AESA radar, distributed electro-optical apertures, and provisions for controlling unmanned wingmen such as the Anka-3 and Kızılelma.
The first prototype, P0, flew on 21 February 2024 at Mürted Airfield. In February 2026 TAI unveiled three prototypes, with the redesigned P1 expected to fly in mid-to-late 2026 and six prototypes planned in total. In June 2026 the United States moved to approve a $705 million export of F110 engines for KAAN Block 10. The Turkish Air Force plans around 100 aircraft, with 20 Block 10 jets targeted from 2028; Indonesia signed for 48 aircraft in July 2025, alongside Egyptian participation in the program.