Turkey's KAAN stealth fighter prototype completes taxi test, edges toward first flight

Taxi test milestone

On 2 August 2026, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) confirmed that the KAAN P1 prototype had completed powered taxi tests at an airfield near Ankara. Video footage released by the company shows the twin-engine stealth fighter moving under its own power on the runway, with technical personnel monitoring the exercise. The tests evaluated engine thrust response, braking performance, nose-wheel steering, and overall ground handling, all essential checks before the aircraft is cleared for its first flight. The test represents one of the mandatory stages before a new military aircraft's maiden flight, verifying that all ground systems function correctly. TAI has not announced a specific date for that milestone, but company officials have previously said the P1 would begin flight testing in the coming months.

Program origins and F-35 exclusion

The KAAN program traces its urgency to 2019, when the United States expelled Turkey from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. The move came after Ankara took delivery of Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, which Washington argued could compromise the F-35's stealth technology if operated alongside the Russian hardware. The expulsion left the Turkish Air Force without a clear perspective for replacing its aging F-16 fleet, prompting authorities to accelerate the development of an entirely indigenous combat aircraft. KAAN became the flagship project to reduce reliance on American military aviation.

Technical specifications

KAAN is designed as a fifth-generation multirole fighter, capable of both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The current prototypes use two General Electric F110-GE-129 afterburning turbofan engines, each delivering roughly 13,600 kgf of thrust. The airframe is 21 meters long with a 14-meter wingspan. Projected performance figures include a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 (approximately 2,223 km/h) and a service ceiling of 55,000 feet (16,800 meters). TAI states that the aircraft is built for beyond-visual-range air combat, precision strikes with internally carried weapons, and supersonic dash capability. Future iterations are expected to incorporate artificial intelligence and neural network technologies for advanced combat performance. The design emphasizes low radar observability, with internal weapon bays and angled surfaces to reduce signature.

Development timeline and future plans

The first prototype, designated P0, flew for the first time on 21 February 2024, logging 13 minutes in the air. A second test flight followed in May 2024, lasting 14 minutes and reaching an altitude of 10,000 feet and a speed of 230 knots. After those initial flights, the program moved into building additional prototypes with more advanced systems. The P1 variant, now in taxi tests, features structural modifications and upgraded avionics to validate sensor integration, internal weapon bay volume, and stealth characteristics. A third prototype, P2, is also under construction. TAI's goal is to have both P1 and P2 flying in the test campaign by the end of 2026. Turkey plans to deliver the first operational batch of KAAN jets to the Turkish Air Force by the end of 2028. In the 2030s, the aircraft is to be fitted with a fully domestically developed engine, replacing the current American powerplants.