Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko said the first flight of Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter jet Kaan was a great success and breakthrough.
Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter jet Kaan has successfully completed its first flight. Commenting on the first test flight, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey has reached an important stage in the process of producing its own fighter jet.
Retired Colonel Igor Korotchenko, Director General of the Caspian Institute for Strategic Studies (KISI), Editor-in-Chief of the National Defense Magazine, commented on the first flight of the Kaan, Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter jet, to Sputnik.
Korotchenko said that the first flight of the Kaan is a great achievement for the Turkish Air Force, but there is still serious work to be done, “Indeed, the first flight of the first prototype of the fifth-generation fighter Kaan took place. In its outward appearance, the aircraft meets all the necessary parameters of a fifth-generation fighter jet. This in itself is a great achievement and a breakthrough. However, two more points need to be met for full compliance, such as an engine that provides cruise speed and phased array radar.”
Emphasizing that the full readiness of the new fighter will require certain time and procedures, the Russian expert said, “The creation of the Kaan fighter is a big job for the future, but it will take 8-12 years to make it fully ready. It is necessary to conduct a series of flight tests equipped with weapons. This requires large financial investments and the presence of a powerful electronic system. As a stated programmatic goal, this is very powerful.”
Emphasizing that Turkey is at an important stage in creating its own defense industry and that Russia can help it in this process, Korotchenko continued his words as follows:
“Turkey is a country with great geopolitical goals, and the fifth-generation fighter is a serious step towards the development of its military-industrial complex. Turkey can also benefit from the experience of Russia, in particular, on the way of creating new fighter jets. On the way to creating new combat aircraft, Turkey can also benefit from the experience of Russia, in particular the Su-57, which was discussed in detail by the leaders of our countries at the international air show in Zhukovskiy. Russia is a useful partner in military-technical cooperation because it respects its Turkish counterparts and does not create unnecessary risks. The United States is not at all a friendly country for Turkey, despite the use of software bookmarks in its F-16s, Patriots and all other weapons, the endless deceptions of the American administration and even the partnership in NATO.”
