ANKARA — Turkey’s national fighter plane (MMU), nicknamed Kaan, offers many opportunities and advantages to Turkey’s air force and its booming military-industrial complex, but analysts believe partnering with other countries is required for accelerated progress.
Kaan became something of a celebrity following its maiden flight in February, raising the prospect of the country to be placed among an elite club of nations that have fielded fifth-generation fighters — namely, the United States, Russia and China.
Fifth-generation aircraft, also known as “stealth,” are hard to detect by enemy radar and sensor, and they communicate and share data with friendly aircraft and ground and naval units. From Ankara's perspective, MMU Kaan, which means “ruler" or "master” in Turkic languages, aims to turn Turkey from a regional actor that is vulnerable to international arms embargoes into one that allies and adversaries can no longer bully.
But the aspiring ruler of the skies will need to overcome various challenges before it can truly become a fifth-generation fighter. Among them are putting the planned eight or so prototypes through thousands of hours of ground and test flights, which are likely to delay the plane’s planned mass production. Finding the resources to fund the mammoth project also remains a challenge.
