TUSAŞ chief says KAAN's P1 prototype is set to fly this year

TUSAŞ General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu said the P1 prototype of Türkiye's KAAN fighter is preparing for high-speed taxi tests and is expected to fly this year.

The Turkiye Times Editorial DeskOctober 02, 2026, 01:13 PMUpdated: October 03, 2026, 03:43 PM

TUSAŞ chief says KAAN's P1 prototype is set to fly this year

TUSAŞ General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu gave an update on Türkiye's national combat aircraft KAAN at the TEKNOFEST Southeast festival in Şanlıurfa.

Demiroğlu said the first prototype, P0, had completed all of its system and ground tests, while the P1 prototype was preparing for high-speed taxi trials. If those trials are successful, P1 is expected to make its first flight this year. "God willing, we are working with all our strength to bring KAAN back to the skies this year," he said.

TUSAŞ General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu

He added that KAAN would fly with the domestically developed TF35000 turbofan engine in the early 2030s.

A full-scale mock-up of KAAN at TEKNOFEST (archive)

Demiroğlu also said TUSAŞ plans to outsource about 70 percent of parts production to suppliers while keeping 30 percent in-house, with seven to eight partner companies identified for a phased distribution of work.

KAAN, which first flew on February 21, 2024, is planned to gradually replace the F-16s in the Turkish Air Force inventory from the 2030s.

Demiroğlu said the P1 prototype has completed all system tests and slow taxi tests and is preparing for ground tests, to be followed by high-speed taxi trials. "If there are no setbacks, P1 is expected to take to the skies this year," he said, adding that the P2 prototype will go through the same test process. The P0 prototype made KAAN’s first flight, lasting about 13 minutes, on February 21, 2024.

An engine run test of the KAAN prototype