Türkiye’s indigenous fighter jet program is advancing as planned and will not be dependent on any single foreign engine supplier, according to the country’s top defense procurement official.
The remarks came shortly after Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Türkiye was waiting for approval by the U.S. Congress for deliveries of American-made engines intended for the first batch of the advanced Kaan warplanes.
Türkiye has already received all the engines necessary for its prototype aircraft and has completed the application process to the U.S. for the procurement of power units needed for the initial block of serially produced jets, Haluk Görgün, head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), said.
Its works on the flagship indigenous engine, the TF35000, tailored for the Kaan, are proceeding according to the schedule, Görgün said, stressing that the mass production has been planned not with a foreign engine, but with a domestic one.
“Kaan’s future is in no way dependent on the engine of a single country,” Görgün told Anadolu Agency (AA).
Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump had their first meeting in the White House in six years, where they discussed defense cooperation and trade.
On his return to Türkiye, Erdoğan hailed “meaningful progress” in talks, ahead of which both leaders had highlighted as key agenda points Türkiye’s purchase of Lockheed Martin’s F-16 fighter jets and its desire to overcome U.S. sanctions so it can buy advanced F-35 warplanes.
Both before and after the meeting, Trump said he might lift the sanctions, which Washington imposed in 2020 over Ankara’s acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defense system. The sanctions also suspended Türkiye from the multinational F-35 program in which it was a buyer and manufacturer.
That prompted Ankara to accelerate work on its own fighter jet and seek to procure alternatives such as the Eurofighter Typhoons.
Kaan is a fifth-generation warplane that Türkiye has worked on for almost a decade. The jet was first publicly unveiled in 2023 before it performed its maiden test flight in early 2024. Its serial production is expected to begin in 2028.
On potential risks related to U.S. approvals or alternative sourcing, Görgün said Türkiye was not seeking foreign alternatives but was prepared to adapt.
“If necessary, engine changes could be made for the first block. Engineering adjustments would be manageable, and I do not foresee a major schedule disadvantage,” he explained.
“Ultimately, our final serial-production aircraft will fly with a Turkish engine.”
Indigenous engine development ongoing
Görgün acknowledged that there had been a delay at the start of the program, but stressed that in the last two years, significant progress has been achieved, responsibilities clarified and timelines stabilized.
“Development activities for Kaan’s main engine, the TF35000, and its auxiliary power unit, the APU60, are successfully continuing. This is always how the process works in the defense industry: it starts with existing engines, and then national engine projects are introduced,” he noted.
According to Görgün, the jet will be produced using a block-based approach, meaning Türkiye will gradually develop and integrate strengthened versions with different capabilities into the inventory.
“There is no delay in the delivery schedule of our Kaan fighter jet,” he said. “To avoid jeopardizing mass production, we are not relying on a single source; instead, we work with multiple supply channels and evaluate alternatives simultaneously.”
“This way, we safeguard the timeline and ensure uninterrupted progress on our national engine development road map,” Görgün added.
NATO member Türkiye launched the project to produce a national combat aircraft in 2016. Kaan is sought to replace the Air Forces Command’s aging F-16 fleet, which is planned to be phased out starting in the 2030s.
Kaan will be capable of air-to-air combat with new-generation weapons and precision strikes from internal weapon bays at supersonic speed. It will also provide increased combat power with artificial intelligence and neural network support.
In June, developer Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) signed an agreement to sell as many as 48 Kaan jets to Indonesia, which will make the Southeast Asian nation the first buyer of the advanced aircraft.
The contract is valued at about $10 billion and includes the production and delivery over a 10-year period, as well as a technology transfer to Indonesia.
Görgün said the deal would not be affected by possible foreign engine restrictions, and the jets to be exported to Indonesia would use domestically developed power units.
Portfolio of indigenous engines
According to Görgün, Türkiye has reached a level where it can meet the critical capabilities needed in land, air, sea and missile systems with domestic and national resources in engine technologies.
“In line with our Gas Turbine Engine Roadmap, we are resolutely continuing our steps toward achieving independence in jet engines as well,” he said.
Görgün outlined the latest status across land, air, sea and missile propulsion programs.
On land vehicles, he said Tuna engines are already in use on armored carriers, while Batu and Utku powerplants for the main battle Altay tank and new-generation tracked vehicles have completed development and are undergoing transmission tests.
In unmanned aerial systems, the PD170 engine is integrated into the Anka and Aksungur drones, the PD200 powers Bayraktar TB3, while the PG50 enables the Kargı loitering drone. For helicopters, the TS1400 turboshaft for the Gökbey utility helicopter is in certification and serial production preparation.
Türkiye has also developed the KTJ3200, KTJ1750 and KTJ3700 engines for cruise missiles such as SOM, Atmaca and Çakır, while naval platforms now feature indigenous diesel and electric propulsion systems.
On the jet side, the TF6000 has been successfully tested for the Anka-3 stealth drone, while the TF10000 is in development for the unmanned fighter jet Kızılelma.
“Projects that critics once said Türkiye could never accomplish are now in service,” Görgün said. “Our aircraft, helicopters, armored vehicles, drones and missiles are already powered by Turkish-made engines.”
Reiterating Ankara’s long-term goal, Görgün said Türkiye was determined to secure full autonomy in propulsion technologies. “With the vision and determination of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, our engineers and industry are working tirelessly for a fully independent defense sector,” he said.
Source: Daily Sabah
