Türkiye unveils second KAAN fighter prototype to refine stealth capabilities before mass production.

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) revealed the second Kaan fighter prototype, the P1, which introduces several structural and geometric changes compared with the initial 2024 P0 aircraft.

On February 14, 2026, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) unveiled the second Kaan fighter prototype, named P1, alongside a static-test airframe during a program update by the Secretariat of Defense Industries' President, Haluk Görgün. The redesigned prototype introduces structural and geometric changes compared with the 2024 Kaan P0 aircraft, to validate internal volume optimization, stealth improvements, sensor integration, and airframe modifications during an intensified ground and flight test phase in 2026.
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The fuselage rear geometry of the second Kaan prototype shows modified slope lines, and the air intake has been repositioned further aft toward cockpit level, creating wider fuselage sides beneath the cockpit that may accommodate side radar installations. (Picture source: SSB)

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) revealed the second Kaan fighter jet prototype, named P1, during a hangar visit by the Secretariat of Defense Industries' President, Haluk Görgün, showing the 2024 P0 aircraft alongside the P1 follow-on prototype and a full-size airframe intended for static structural testing. Görgün stated that the rollout of the static-test aircraft together with the flight prototypes marked a new phase in development and confirmed that testing, development, and production activities are proceeding in parallel, including preparations for mass production. He also announced that the contract process for deliveries to the Turkish Air Force will be initiated. The Kaan program’s stated objective remains the indigenous development of a next-generation stealth fighter jet to serve for decades while strengthening domestic aviation infrastructure and progressing work on a national engine.

The Kaan is a twin-engine, fifth-generation, multirole combat aircraft intended to replace aging F-4 and F-16 fleets and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers such as the United States. It is designed with low observability features, internal weapon bays, advanced avionics architecture, sensor fusion, enhanced situational awareness, network-enabled warfare capability, and integrated electronic warfare systems for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Planned performance parameters include a maximum speed of Mach 1.8, a service ceiling of 55,000 feet, a maximum takeoff weight of 34,750 kilograms, and structural limits of +9g and -3.5g. The airframe incorporates composite materials, 7050 T7451 aluminum in forward sections, titanium in the rear fuselage, and a single-piece composite wing module, with structural weight figures including 1,470 kilograms for the forward-mid fuselage, 2,125 kilograms for the wing module, 3,945 kilograms for the rear fuselage, and a total structural weight of 7,775 kilograms.

Visual comparisons between the P0 and P1 prototypes highlight multiple geometry and configuration changes focused on internal volume, sensor accommodation, and structural layout. The fuselage rear geometry shows modified slope lines, and the air intake has been repositioned further aft toward cockpit level, creating wider fuselage sides beneath the cockpit that may accommodate side radar installations. The cockpit forward extension appears at a narrower angle, and the intake air door position visible on P0 has shifted adjacent to the intake on P1. The separation between the two engines has increased, potentially allowing additional sensor integration and a wider internal weapons bay under the fuselage. Landing gear integration has been moved into the sides of the main fuselage, with a significantly greater distance between the rear landing gears compared with P0, and sensors are visible on the upper sections of the vertical stabilizers.

The new prototypes, P1 and P2, will enter into a more intensive test phase in 2026 that includes expanded flight and ground evaluations. The revised airframes are reported to be about one meter shorter, at roughly 20 meters in length, compared with the first prototype, the P0, and structural adjustments include a widened mid-section and reworked frontal area to increase usable onboard volume. Ramp-type air intakes with internal S-duct arrangements are incorporated to support supersonic performance and low observability objectives. Ground-based testing includes static structural testing and lightning strike testing in cooperation with Hızal Elektroerozyon, which specializes in pulsed power systems. Additional refinements are anticipated in subsequent prototypes labeled P4 to P6, particularly concerning aerodynamic performance and systems integration.

Flight testing is organized around three dedicated flight prototypes, while the earlier engineering prototype that completed two flights in 2024 is now restricted to ground and system-level testing. The maiden flight on February 21, 2024, lasted 13 minutes, reached 8,000 feet, and achieved 230 knots, followed by a second flight on May 6, 2024, lasting 14 minutes and reaching 10,000 feet at a similar speed. The first of the dedicated flight prototypes is undergoing resonance testing, fuel system validation, electrical system checks, and system verification, with two to three months of ground preparation required before flight. Its first flight is scheduled for May or June 2026, while the second prototype is expected to fly by the end of 2026 and the third in late 2026 or early 2027. Serial production deliveries have been adjusted to 2029 to align with flight testing, systems maturity, and production readiness.

Propulsion planning follows a phased approach combining foreign and domestic engine solutions. Early Block 10 and Block 20 aircraft will use two General Electric F110-GE-129 engines delivering 29,000 to 30,000 pounds of thrust each with afterburner, and Türkiye has received 10 F110 engines for prototype and early production use. Between 20 and 40 aircraft are planned to use the F110 before transitioning to the indigenous TF35000 turbofan developed by TRMotor and TUSAŞ Engine Industries, with a targeted thrust of about 35,000 pounds and integration goal by 2032. The program’s long-term plan states that after 2030, Kaan fighters will fly with a fully domestic engine configuration. Weapons integration includes eight internal and six external hardpoints, a 30x113 millimeter gun, air-to-air missiles such as Gökdoğan and Bozdoğan, a planned ramjet-powered beyond-visual-range missile, SOM-series cruise missiles, Kuzgun variants, Akbaba anti-radiation missiles, Roketsan Çakir missiles, and guided bombs including SARB-83 and NEB-84 bunker-buster types.

Export and partnership activity is advancing alongside the prototype development and flight testing milestones. Indonesia signed agreements for 48 fighter jets during IDEF 2025 within a framework valued at $15 billion and indicated a preference for an ITAR-free configuration powered by the indigenous TF35000 engine rather than early aircraft equipped with American engines. Saudi Arabia is engaged in advanced negotiations that may lead to a formal agreement in 2026, with discussions covering procurement volumes ranging from 20 to potentially 100 aircraft and possible local production lines aligned with Vision 2030 objectives. Turkish officials stated that joint investment with Saudi Arabia could be realized following high-level meetings, while bilateral trade reached $8 billion in 2025, and Turkish contractors completed more than 400 projects in the Kingdom valued at $30 billion. Additional expressions of interest have been linked to Azerbaijan, Spain, Ukraine, Malaysia, Pakistan, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.