Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) reported that the national combat aircraft KAAN remained in the air for 14 minutes in its second flight and reached a speed of 230 knots at an altitude of 10,000 feet.
In the statement made by SSB on the occasion of KAAN’s second flight, the following was noted;
The second flight was successfully carried out within the scope of the National Combat Aircraft KAAN Project, which was initiated by the Presidency of Defense Industries to meet the combat aircraft needs of the Air Forces Command and developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ).
“IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT LIKE THE FIRST FLIGHT!”
SSB President Haluk Görgün, who met with the Test Pilots and Project Team after the second flight, stated the following in his statement:
“Yes, we are excited, but also proud. We witnessed another important day in Turkish aviation history and Turkish defense history. Our manned warplane made its second flight today, having completed its first flight on February 21. In the first flight, he successfully completed the pre-planned flight. Today, after the data obtained after that first flight was evaluated and analyzed, preparations for the second flight were completed and we made our second flight this morning. Again, it was a very successful flight, just like the first flight. The data received on this flight will be evaluated by the entire team and preparations will continue for subsequent flights. I hope it will be auspicious, we would like to thank all our employees, engineers, pilots and test pilots for their efforts. May it bring good luck to our nation. Of course, everyone was in an incredible excitement from the first hours of the morning, everyone was praying for this flight to happen, and on the other hand, they were waiting with hope for that first take-off and landing. Thank God, there was a nice atmosphere, all the employees and those who worked hard to be here, we all experienced this moment together, I wish you good luck.”
KAAN MADE HIS FIRST FLIGHT WITH HIS NEW PAINTED FORM
Production activities of KAAN, which has all the capabilities of the 5th Generation Combat Aircraft such as high maneuverability, low radar visibility, avionic architecture open to development, increased situational awareness, precise targeting and interoperability, started in March 2022.
Component assembly was completed between May and November 2022, and the final assembly line was put into operation in November 2022. As a continuation of the intensive system tests carried out in December 2022 and January 2023, the hangar was exited ahead of schedule on February 10, 2023, and the first engine start-up activity was carried out on February 12, 2023. On March 17, 2023, the first slow taxi tests were successfully completed. In the period leading up to the first flight, the necessary strengthening activities for the first flight were carried out and pre-flight tests were completed. National Combat Aircraft KAAN made its first flight on February 21, 2024.
Simultaneously, for the configuration to be delivered to the Air Forces Command, aircraft and system requirements were defined, air and system functions were determined, and the preliminary design phase was completed.
KAAN, which performed its second flight today, managed to reach an altitude of 10,000 feet and a speed of 230 knots by staying in the air for 14 minutes.
