KAAN National Fighter Aircraft Complaint: Due to financial uncertainty…

A remarkable statement was made about the national KAAN fighter jet, which President Erdoğan put on the agenda on August 30 at the starboard award and diploma ceremony of the Military Academy of the National Defense University…

Erdoğan said: “Almost every week we receive news that makes us proud in the field of defense industry. We recently shared our good news about our KAAN National Fighter Aircraft. Hopefully we will see our plane take off before the end of 2023,” he said. One day after these statements, a claim by the US media came to the fore.

Defense News, which broadcasts information on the US defense industry, said the future of the KAAN domestic fighter jet is uncertain. The headline of the article was “Turkey seeks partners for TF-X fighter jet program due to financial uncertainty.”

Photo: Anadolu Agency

In the news: “The first fighter jet of the Turkish TF-X program is waiting in the hangar before its first takeoff. But financial problems may hamper its success. Experts also drew attention to the fact that President Erdogan is looking for partners for the program.

While it was claimed that the Turkish economy was struggling due to high inflation, “Turkey is looking for foreign partners to reduce its financial obligations for this programme. In his speech in Pakistan on August 14, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler stated that an agreement had been signed with Azerbaijan and that countries like Pakistan were also preparing to sign it.

“WHAT WILL PAKISTAN BRING TO THE TABLE?”

It was noted that Pakistan had previously partnered with China’s JF-17 fighter jets, noting that this program would be Pakistan’s second if agreed with Turkey.

Speaking to Defense News, Eugene Kogan, a defense industry expert living in Georgia, said: “Azerbaijan can provide money for this program. But I’m not sure what exactly Pakistan will bring. It’s not money, for obvious reasons. Technological knowledge? “There are more questions than answers on this subject,” he said.

“WHEN ISSUING BEFORE THE ELECTIONS”

While it has been claimed that Ankara is planning the first flight of the TF-X on December 27, 2023, it has been noted that the delivery of these fighter jets will begin in 2028.

Speaking to Defense News, a Turkish official involved in the project said: “Probably this plane will fly before the critical local elections for political reasons. But not all systems are implemented. Many Turkish citizens won’t even care if the plane is ready for a mission. “This will be part of the government show,” he said.