Statements from TUSAŞ General Manager Demiroğlu on KAAN and ANKA-III

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu made important remarks on the National Combat Aircraft KAAN and the unmanned fighter jet ANKA-III during the panel “From Roots to Horizons: The Rise of the Turkish Defence Industry.”

In his speech, Demiroğlu shared the flight schedule for KAAN’s new prototypes, saying:

“Our target is to carry out the maiden flight of the second KAAN prototype in April 2026. We plan to bring the third prototype to the skies a few months later.”

The Challenges in ANKA-III’s Design

Touching on the innovative design of ANKA-III, Demiroğlu underlined that the development process was particularly challenging due to the absence of a vertical stabiliser:

“Since ANKA-III does not have a vertical stabiliser, it is a difficult and unstable aircraft. We made it happen. Everyone is wondering how we managed it.”

National Combat Aircraft KAAN

Developed to replace the F-16s that the Turkish Air Force plans to phase out from the 2030s onwards, the KAAN project stands out as one of the most critical steps of Turkey’s domestic and national defence industry.

The first KAAN prototype took to the skies on 21 February 2024, remaining airborne for 13 minutes and reaching an altitude of 8,000 feet.

The second test flight was carried out on 6 May 2024, during which the aircraft climbed to 10,000 feet and stayed in the air for 14 minutes.

The Strong Features of ANKA-III

The next-generation unmanned fighter jet ANKA-III can perform not only reconnaissance and surveillance but also a wide range of critical missions such as electronic warfare, air-to-ground and air-to-air attacks, communication relay, and close air support to friendly units.

It is capable of carrying 650 kg of payload in internal stations, 650 kg on inner wing stations, and 100 kg on outer stations.

Various munitions such as SOM-J, MK-82, and Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) can be integrated.

It stands out with its low radar signature, high-speed capability, and advanced weapon stations.

Demiroğlu noted that the testing phase of ANKA-III is ongoing, emphasising Turkey’s vision of localisation in the defence industry.