Türkiye’s KAAN fighter program has entered a new testing phase after the P1 prototype began taxi trials on July 31 ahead of its planned maiden flight.
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) released footage showing the aircraft moving under its own power on the runway.
Its first flight is planned within the next two months, while the P2 prototype is expected to take to the skies by the end of the year.
The company aims to have both aircraft conducting flight tests by the end of 2026. The tests will cover the aircraft’s performance, avionics and mission systems.
P1 follows the P0 engineering demonstrator, which was built to assess KAAN’s basic flight characteristics.
P0 completed its maiden flight on Feb. 21, 2024, remaining airborne for 13 minutes. Its second flight on May 6 that year lasted 14 minutes.
Unlike the earlier demonstrator, P1 was built closer to the fighter’s planned production configuration.
A full-size, nonflying airframe is also undergoing static testing to assess structural strength, system integration and safety before further flight trials.
The prototypes and the initial Block 10 and Block 20 aircraft will be powered by U.S.-made General Electric F110 engines.
TAI says it already has 10 engines for the prototype fleet and plans to acquire another 80 for serial production.
The U.S. congressional review period for the planned engine sale ended on July 9 without any move to block it.
Türkiye is meanwhile developing the TF35000 domestic engine for the Block 30 and later versions of KAAN. TAI is targeting 2032 for completion of the engine program.
The company says it continues to target initial deliveries to the Turkish Air Force in 2028.
Türkiye is also testing Baykar’s KIZILELMA unmanned combat aircraft, which the company aims to bring into service this year.
