TAI TF-X / Milli Muharip Uçak MMU Kaan

Is the wind tunnel in Turkey completed yet ?

GG1_bKhXMAAPs_D
 
TomcatViP said:
Is that the first 5th gen European jets first flight (if we shamefully dismiss participation in the F-35 program)?

Not bad for a country that was banned by countries famously known to host the best athletes...
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Unfortunately, no. Kaan flew over Ankara. The Su-57 flew for the first time in Komsomolsk on the Amur. Europe will have to wait for "its" stealth fighter.
 
snne said:
Wasn't the JSF primarily designed by the US? AFAIK others were all industrial partners but designing it is somethinfj else.
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I believe so. The BAE concepts didn't look much like the X35.


Geo said:
Unfortunately, no. Kaan flew over Ankara. The Su-57 flew for the first time in Komsomolsk on the Amur. Europe will have to wait for "its" stealth fighter.
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Istanbul is still in Europe.
 
Scott Kenny said:
Istanbul is still in Europe.
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Yeah, but Ankara isn't. Anyway, these technicalities don't even matter. Clearly this is the first true 5th gen designed within or near Europe. Some folks in Europe made a lot of wrong choices though. They could've had one of their own but Turkey took the initiative and look where they are now.
 
snne said:
Yeah, but Ankara isn't. Anyway, these technicalities don't even matter. Clearly this is the first true 5th gen designed within or near Europe. Some folks in Europe made a lot of wrong choices though. They could've had one of their own but Turkey took the initiative and look where they are now.
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BAE 6th gen demonstrator due to fly in 2027 while France/Germany are developing their 6th gen. So about a generation ahead?
 
WatcherZero said:
BAE 6th gen demonstrator due to fly in 2027 while France/Germany are developing their 6th gen. So about a generation ahead?
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To be fair we don’t know what the criteria for six generation is. Before F-22 was officially unveiled other countries had very different ideas about what next gen fighter is like.
 
Some interesting details in todays announcement.

This aircraft known as Block 0 and is unrepresentative of the final aircraft
It will be followed by a second prototype called P1 which is expected to fly in 2025 which will be representative of the final design.
The third prototype is expected to fly in 2026
Beginning in 2028 ten Block 1 aircraft will be completed and delivered between 2030 and 2033 with a production rate of 2 per month reached during 2029.
Beginning in 2034 twenty Block 2 aircraft will be delivered which will for the first time feature low observable materials thanks to a new carbon composite thermoplastic production facility originally being set up to produce F-35 fuselages, the Block 2 aircraft will also have new sensors and the ability to super-cruise.
 
WatcherZero said:
Some interesting details in todays announcement.

This aircraft known as Block 0 and is unrepresentative of the final aircraft
It will be followed by a second prototype called P1 which is expected to fly in 2025 which will be representative of the final design.
The third prototype is expected to fly in 2026
Beginning in 2028 ten Block 1 aircraft will be completed and delivered between 2030 and 2033 with a production rate of 2 per month reached during 2029.
Beginning in 2034 twenty Block 2 aircraft will be delivered which will for the first time feature low observable materials thanks to a new carbon composite thermoplastic production facility originally being set up to produce F-35 fuselages, the Block 2 aircraft will also have new sensors and the ability to super-cruise.
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P0 already uses C-Composites. Iirc that "today's announcement" is from late 2022
 
Umigami said:
So its shape still could change?
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It will indeed, once the wind tunnel in Turkey is completed they will improve upon RCS and aerodynamic design - this will remain confidential, whereas the current flying modelled locally by computers in Turkey as well as in a third party countries wind tunnel.
 
Radonislav said:
P0 already uses C-Composites. Iirc that "today's announcement" is from late 2022
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Not low observable C-composites, a tender was issued for the development of a lighter 'thermoplastic' carbon composite with added low observable characteristics to be used for Block 2 replacing that initially used.
 
BARBAROS DEMİRBAŞ (chief test pilot) interview after first installed engine test last May:

Hopefully we will start modifying her from June onwards and get her ready for flight. This is what we would call a technology demonstrator. We are validating the processes with this aircraft. Because there is intense production and management activities going on. There is a massive organization behind all of this. So this is essentially a trial aircraft. The second prototype which is the P1, will cover the entire envelope. We will start integrating some systems to that airframe. We will achieve 4.5th gen characteristics with our Block 10 aircraft and 5th gen by Block 20's.
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Combat-Master said:
It will indeed, once the wind tunnel in Turkey is completed they will improve upon RCS and aerodynamic design - this will remain confidential, whereas the current flying modelled locally by computers in Turkey as well as in a third party countries wind tunnel.
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I wonder then if the change will be drastic. Maybe much more than yf-22 to f-22?
 
I suppose all will be revealed by the time testing has finnished and the operational KAAN is ready to enter service. It will be interesting to see what happens to KAAN if any changes are needed.
 

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