The Turkish fifth-generation fighter Kaan has successfully completed its first flight, according to TRT television channel.
Correspondents noted that the flight went smoothly. Initially, the Kaan was scheduled to be tested at the end of December 2023, but the flight was postponed due to a series of ground tests.
The Kaan fighter has been under development in Turkey since 2017 as part of the “National Combat Aircraft” program. According to preliminary calculations, its serial production will begin in 2028. Authorities have also stated that the Kaan, in terms of tactical and technical characteristics, will surpass the American F-35 and can replace the currently used F-16 fighters of the Turkish Air Force.
Ukrainian Ambassador to Ankara, Vasyl Bodnar, later announced that Kyiv plans to purchase Kaan fighters from Turkey, which can compete with the next-generation American fighters, the F-35 and F-22. However, doubts about the realism of these plans have been raised in the Russian Federation. Senator Grigory Karasin emphasized that if true, Russia would react negatively to such developments.
Earlier, it became known why NATO pilots fear approaching Russian fighters.
