(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Haluk Görgün, President of Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industry (SSB), has categorically dismissed speculation that the country’s flagship fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet program is facing delays.

In remarks that directly addressed recent international concerns, Görgün declared that there is “no delay” in KAAN’s delivery schedule and confirmed that prototype test production is advancing “at full speed.”

He stressed that the program is “in no way dependent on the engine of a single country,” an assertion aimed at reassuring both domestic audiences and foreign partners that Ankara will not allow external restrictions to derail its most ambitious aerospace undertaking to date.

According to Görgün, all prototype engines required for the testing phase have already been delivered and are powering a series of flight trials and ground evaluations, enabling Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) engineers to meet critical developmental milestones ahead of schedule.

He acknowledged that the engines requested from the United States for the initial production block remain a temporary requirement, noting that only those specific units are affected by ongoing export licensing disputes.

Görgün emphasized that Türkiye has already secured multiple alternative supply options and identified partner countries to ensure redundancy in propulsion, thereby mitigating the strategic vulnerabilities that could arise from reliance on a single external supplier.

The Turkish defence chief added that it remains technically feasible to replace the engines in the first production block if circumstances demand, though such a step would necessitate complex engineering modifications in integration, performance calibration, and certification processes.

Only days earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed that the United States Congress had formally blocked the export of General Electric’s F110 engines destined for KAAN’s early production batches.

This unprecedented congressional move underscores the widening fissures within NATO and highlights the deepening mistrust that has overshadowed US-Turkey defence relations since Ankara’s acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 long-range air defence system.

In his address, Fidan stated that Washington had obstructed the issuance of export licenses for the F110 engines, describing the decision as “a deliberate obstruction against Turkey’s rightful ambition to secure its national defence independence.”

He linked the US congressional decision to broader political disputes within the alliance, openly accusing Washington of weaponizing access to military technology in an effort to constrain Ankara’s pursuit of strategic autonomy.

The blocked engines are critical for KAAN’s Block 0 and Block 1 production runs, which are expected to provide the Turkish Air Force with its initial operational capability before the integration of Türkiye’s indigenous TF-35000 turbofan engine in the next decade.

As part of its long-term strategy, Ankara had also requested authorization not only to import the F110 engines but to assemble both the F110 and F404 engines domestically — a move designed to reduce dependency, generate industrial spillover, and accelerate indigenous propulsion expertise.

However, US lawmakers have resisted these proposals, citing national security concerns, intellectual property sensitivities, and ongoing mistrust over Ankara’s alignment with NATO’s collective defence policies.

Domestic Engine Ambitions: TF-35000 at the Core

Görgün outlined Ankara’s long-term vision to equip the KAAN with Türkiye’s domestically developed TF-35000 turbofan engine, a program already underway under the national defence technology roadmap.

Ground testing for the TF-35000 is expected to begin in 2026, marking a crucial milestone toward independence from Western propulsion systems.

According to Gökvatan, the in-house publication of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the indigenous engine is scheduled to achieve full integration with KAAN around 2032, positioning Türkiye among the very few nations capable of producing both a fifth-generation stealth aircraft and its propulsion system.

This trajectory would elevate Türkiye into a strategic peer group that includes the United States with the F119/F135 engines for the F-22 and F-35, Russia with the Saturn Izdeliye 30 powering the Su-57, and China with its WS-15 engine for the J-20 stealth fighter.

By pursuing its own engine development, Ankara aims to insulate its aerospace sector from the recurring political friction and embargoes that have hampered its defence programs in the past.

The TF-35000 project is seen as a flagship for Türkiye’s broader defence-industrial independence, complementing parallel efforts in UAVs, missiles, naval platforms, and indigenous air defence systems.

International Skepticism and Strategic Realities

Despite Ankara’s confidence, independent defence analysts have raised questions about the ambitious timelines set for the TF-35000.

A well-known Turkish defence analyst, publicly questioned whether Türkiye can realistically deliver a fully operational indigenous engine within the stated timeframe.

“China, despite its vast resources, spent decades developing its first modern jet engines before deploying them in fighter aircraft,” he observed on X, suggesting Türkiye’s more limited industrial and financial base may face similar hurdles.

The analyst added that Türkiye “does not have China’s financial, industrial or human capital capacity,” raising the risk that Ankara may encounter bottlenecks similar to those faced by Beijing in engine metallurgy, turbine blade technology, and long-duration reliability testing.

He also cautioned that continued reliance on US-made F110 engines for the first batches of KAAN fighters grants Washington significant leverage in negotiations, potentially giving the US the ability to apply political pressure on Ankara at critical junctures.

According to him, this underscores a long-standing weakness in Türkiye’s defence procurement strategy — a dependence on external suppliers for critical subsystems, even while excelling in indigenous airframes, electronics, and weapons integration.

Strategic Messaging to Allies and Rivals

Görgün’s statement that “there is no delay” in the KAAN program was clearly intended not only for the Turkish domestic audience but also for international partners, especially Indonesia.

In July 2025, Türkiye signed a landmark agreement with Indonesia for the supply of 48 KAAN fifth-generation fighters, valued at approximately US$10 billion (RM44 billion).

This deal, announced during the International Defense Industry Fair in İstanbul, positioned Indonesia as the first Southeast Asian country to operate the KAAN, thereby cementing Jakarta’s ambition to emerge as a leading air power in the Indo-Pacific.

According to Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency, the production and delivery of the jets will be spread across a 10-year timeframe, reflecting a long-term strategic partnership between Ankara and Jakarta.

The agreement was further formalized at the Indo Defence 2025 exhibition in Jakarta, one of Asia’s premier defence expositions and an increasingly important platform for military-industrial diplomacy.

By emphasizing continuity in the KAAN schedule, Ankara is sending a powerful signal to Jakarta and potential future buyers — that export orders will not be compromised by the ongoing engine dispute with Washington.

Görgün went further by stating that export aircraft will be delivered with Turkish-developed engines, insulating foreign clients from dependency on US-supplied propulsion systems.

Geopolitical and Strategic Implications

The KAAN program represents more than a new aircraft platform; it is a strategic tool for Türkiye to carve out an independent role in the highly contested fifth-generation fighter market.

By continuing on schedule, Türkiye demonstrates its determination to rival the established Western and Eastern players that dominate global exports, namely the United States with the F-35, Russia with the Su-57E, and China with the J-35 and J-20.

For Indonesia, the procurement marks an inflection point in Southeast Asia’s security environment, elevating Jakarta’s capabilities above those of its regional rivals such as Malaysia, Thailand, and even Vietnam.

The acquisition also provides Indonesia with a counterbalance to Singapore’s advanced F-35B program and India’s Rafale fleet, shifting the Indo-Pacific air power equation.

From Ankara’s perspective, exports to Indonesia represent a major diplomatic victory, embedding Türkiye more deeply into the Indo-Pacific strategic theatre where competition between Washington and Beijing is most intense.

By positioning the KAAN as an affordable alternative to the F-35, Türkiye hopes to attract additional buyers in Asia, the Middle East, and potentially Africa, expanding its defence-industrial reach.

Technical Features and Combat Potential

The KAAN, designed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, is a stealth-enabled, multirole, fifth-generation fighter featuring advanced avionics, sensor fusion, and integrated electronic warfare capabilities.

The aircraft is expected to carry a weapons payload of approximately 10 tons, allowing for a broad spectrum of missions from air superiority and interdiction to suppression of enemy air defences.

Its sensor suite will reportedly include an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, infrared search-and-track (IRST) systems, and cutting-edge data link integration compatible with NATO standards.

The KAAN is also designed to deploy a wide range of Turkish-developed weapons, including the Gökdoğan beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, Bozdoğan short-range air-to-air missile, and precision-guided munitions from the TÜBİTAK-SAGE portfolio.

Integration with Türkiye’s indigenous air-launched cruise missiles, such as SOM-J, would give the aircraft significant strike reach against hardened and high-value targets.

By developing a platform that is interoperable with NATO systems but not reliant on Western supply chains, Ankara aims to market the KAAN as both a strategic hedge and a sovereign capability solution for nations wary of Western export restrictions.

The design also incorporates stealth shaping techniques, internal weapons bays, and radar-absorbing composite materials, which together reduce its radar cross-section and enhance survivability against modern integrated air defence systems.

Future variants of the KAAN are expected to feature manned-unmanned teaming capabilities, enabling it to command loyal wingman drones in complex strike and air superiority operations.

If successfully matured, this capability would allow KAAN to act as a force multiplier, dramatically increasing sortie lethality while reducing risk to human pilots.

In addition, Ankara has indicated that the aircraft will be compatible with forthcoming directed-energy and hypersonic weapons, ensuring that KAAN remains technologically relevant well into the 2040s.

The Engine Question in Global Context

The propulsion challenge facing KAAN mirrors the historical struggles of other nations attempting to break into the elite club of fifth-generation aircraft producers.

Russia’s Su-57 program was delayed for years due to slow progress in developing its Izdeliye 30 engine, with initial production aircraft still relying on older AL-41F1 powerplants.

China’s J-20 stealth fighter similarly entered service powered by Russian engines before indigenous WS-10 and WS-15 engines became viable for operational deployment.

Even established aerospace powers such as the United States faced major delays and cost overruns in developing the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine for the F-35 Lightning II, underscoring the universal difficulty of creating a reliable, high-performance turbofan for stealth fighters.

Türkiye’s insistence that the KAAN program will not be delayed, despite propulsion uncertainties, therefore represents both a bold declaration and a calculated gamble.

Historically, propulsion bottlenecks have proven to be the single greatest obstacle in sustaining long-term fifth-generation fighter production, often leading to schedule slippages and reduced export competitiveness.

The metallurgy required for turbine blades to withstand extreme thermal stresses at sustained afterburner conditions remains one of the most closely guarded technologies in aerospace engineering.

Failure to master these high-temperature alloys can severely limit thrust-to-weight ratios, operational endurance, and stealth efficiency — all critical benchmarks for fifth-generation fighters.

By pushing forward aggressively, Ankara risks encountering similar pitfalls, yet success would allow Türkiye to leapfrog into the rarefied league of propulsion-capable aerospace powers.

If achieved, the TF-35000 engine would not only secure KAAN’s long-term independence but also open the door for Ankara to export complete propulsion packages, a capability that could transform the global balance of the fighter jet market.

READ: US Blocks Engine Exports for Turkey’s KAAN Fighter Jet: NATO Rift Deepens

Defining Türkiye’s Aerospace Future

By declaring that “there is no delay” in KAAN’s schedule and emphasizing independence from a single-country engine supply, Türkiye is making a powerful statement about its future as an aerospace power.

The program reflects Ankara’s strategic ambition to join the ranks of global fifth-generation fighter producers, while also underlining its broader national vision of defence-industrial sovereignty.

The export agreement with Indonesia not only validates KAAN’s market appeal but also entrenches Türkiye’s presence in the Indo-Pacific, a theatre of growing military rivalry.

While sceptics question the realism of the indigenous engine timeline, the continued pace of KAAN’s development signals that Türkiye is willing to absorb risks to achieve long-term independence.

If Ankara successfully integrates the TF-35000 by the early 2030s, the KAAN could emerge as a formidable competitor not just in the regional market but also on the global stage.

In the broader context of air power and geo-strategic rivalry, KAAN is more than a fighter jet — it is a symbol of Türkiye’s determination to redefine its place in the international defence-industrial hierarchy.

The program also represents a strategic hedge against future embargoes, ensuring that Türkiye can maintain operational sovereignty even in the face of external political or military pressure.

For NATO, KAAN presents both an opportunity and a challenge, as a domestically driven Turkish fighter could enhance alliance capabilities but also deepen Ankara’s divergence from Western supply chains.

Export success will be critical, as sales to countries like Indonesia not only secure financial viability but also extend Türkiye’s influence into regions traditionally dominated by Western and Russian aerospace suppliers.

If KAAN achieves operational maturity on schedule, it will demonstrate that a mid-tier power can overcome structural and technological barriers to challenge entrenched aerospace giants.

Ultimately, the success of KAAN will determine whether Türkiye cements itself as a long-term global player in advanced combat aviation or remains a regional producer constrained by external dependencies. — DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA