Turkish currently leads India and South Korea in the race for the next generation of fighter jets, as evidenced by data from the aircraft airframe that was revealed a few months ago. Turkish is now prepared to begin taxi trials. If Turkey manufactures the fifth-generation fighter jet in the future, it will be the most anticipated project for the country and will boost its reputation of aerospace technology.

Turkey’s fifth-generation stealth fighter, the TF-X, also known as the National Combat Aircraft (MMU), has started engine ground runs and slow-speed taxi testing. It will make its first flight by the end of 2023.

Turkish proudly displays the airframe of its 5th Gen fighter jet TFx at its production facility.(Opens in a new browser tab)

While more design refinement may be necessary to make the platform a low-observable platform, Turkey asserts that the basic prototype will be evaluated and that many adjustments will be made to the aircraft before it goes into production.

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is currently developing the TF-X, a fifth-generation Turkish fighter jet. It is anticipated to be capable of air-to-air, air-to-ground, and reconnaissance operations and to feature stealth capabilities and cutting-edge avionics.

To upgrade Turkey’s defensive capabilities and replace its outdated F-16 fleet, the TF-X is being built. TAI and British defense firm BAE Systems are working together on the project. The TF-X prototype is scheduled to have its maiden flight in 2025, with the goal of having the aircraft in service by 2030.

These 3 firms offer the Engine for AMCA India’s fifth-generation fighter plane(Opens in a new browser tab)

It is important to note that TF-development X’s has faced a number of difficulties, such as concerns about technology transfer and financing.   The project is still supported by the Turkish government, which views it as a crucial representation of the nation’s developing indigenous defense industry.

The F-16 and TF-X prototypes both use General Electric F110 engines, with Turkey TRMotor and Rolls-Royce working together to create a new engine that may be available by the end of the decade.

The TF-X MMU project has advanced technology in areas like low visibility, internal weapons slots, high maneuverability, increased situational awareness, and sensor fusion, all of which are necessary for a new generation of aircraft, making Turkey one of the few nations with the infrastructure and technology to produce a fifth-generation combat aircraft.

The aircraft also has numerous data fusion, artificial intelligence, and autonomous target identification and recognition capabilities.

Turkey will gradually make progress towards the development of a 5th generation fighter aircraft by 2028. National Combat Aircraft and the South Korean KAI KF-21 Boramae fighter jet program will start as a 4.5 generation program but the transition to a 5th generation fighter aircraft in the next ten years. The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), on the other hand, is being developed by India with a more radical approach. It will start out as a 5th generation fighter jet in the Mk1 tranche and transition to a 5.5 generation fighter in the Mk2 tranche in 2035.