(Luft) TAI Kaan (TF-X)

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Turkish Aerospace's Kaan Prototype Moves Into System Integration Phase
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Tony Osborne September 02, 2025
TAI kaan
Credit: Turkish Aerospace Industries
ANKARA, Turkey—The first of the next two prototypes of Turkey’s Kaan indigenous combat aircraft has moved into the system integration phase ahead of plans to fly in spring 2026.

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) officials said the two prototypes are in an advanced state of structural assembly and work is underway on system integration in the company’s Kaan final assembly line here in Ankara. A ground test vehicle also is in production.

The unnamed officials spoke to Aviation Week on Aug. 28 during an international media tour of the country’s defense industry organized by the Turkish government.

They would not be drawn on the timelines for assembly and first flight, but TAI’s general manager, Mehmet Demiroglu, speaking on a panel Aug. 29, said flights for the two aircraft would take place in April and May 2026, kicking off "the beginning of intensive flight testing.”

The two prototypes are expected to be significantly more complete internally compared to the P0 Kaan prototype that made two flights in 2024, with the aircraft featuring more of the mission systems to be associated with the operational aircraft.

https://aviationweek.com/defense/aircraf...tion-phase