What Happened
Turkish Aerospace Industries Clears Ground Milestone But Faces Engine Supply Challenges
Turkey’s KAAN fifth-generation fighter program has achieved a ground milestone with the completion of a taxi run under power, marking a significant step towards the aircraft’s first flight. However, the program faces a critical challenge in meeting the demands of its first export customer, Indonesia, which has signed a $10 billion contract for 48 KAANs with the condition that the aircraft be delivered free of US-controlled components. The issue highlights the tension between Turkey’s reliance on US-controlled engines and its ambitions for the KAAN program, which was first reported by Unknown Source.