Turkey’s KAAN stealth fighter is beginning to resemble its final form, with a newly unveiled prototype showcasing key design refinements ahead of its maiden flight.
Footage released by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) shows the P1 prototype completing taxi tests, revealing visible updates around the cockpit, engine intakes, and landing gear.
One of the most noticeable changes is a larger fairing on the aircraft’s nose, which is believed to accommodate an integrated electro-optical sensor system.
The P1 prototype features a redesigned landing gear with a wider stance than earlier demonstrators, while reports further indicate that it incorporates revised internal control surface actuators.
While the aircraft continues to use General Electric F110 turbofan engines, Turkey plans to replace them with an indigenous powerplant in future KAAN variants.
TAI is expected to conduct the P1 prototype’s maiden flight within the coming months.
Turkey’s Fifth-Generation Fighter
KAAN is being developed as a fifth-generation multirole fighter capable of conducting both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
Designed for beyond-visual-range combat and precision strike operations, the aircraft can carry weapons while flying at supersonic speeds.
A third prototype is currently under assembly and will join the flight test campaign, while additional variants are planned for different operational roles to accelerate the program’s development.
Turkey aims to begin delivering the production-standard KAAN to its air force by late 2028, replacing its aging F-16 fleet.
