Aviation

Ukraine enters a tender for the engine development for Turkey’s KAAN Fighter.

Türkiye's indigenous fighter jet KAAN to take to the skies in December

In the competition to create the initial engine for the KAAN fighter plane, the Ukrainian business Ivchenko Progress also took part. The National Combat Aircraft (MMU) Project will include the development of a national turbofan engine for the KAAN warplane by the Presidency of Defence Industries. The “Preliminary Design Phase Project” was recently initiated in this area.

According to data gathered by SavunmaSanayiST.com from defence sources, TRMotor’s principal contractor submitted the tender for the preliminary design phase project, which was started by the SSB as part of the MMU Original Engine Development Programme, under the cooperation model of TEI and Ivchenko Progress.

Engines from Ukraine are utilised in aircraft and ammunition such as the AKINCI T? HA, KIZILELMA, ANKA-3, KEMANKES, and Super??M? EK, which was developed by the Turkish defence industry. The T929 Heavy Class Attack Helicopter, however, also makes use of a Ukrainian-supplied engine.

On the other side, the Turkish Kale Group company and the British Rolls-Royce company had partnered to develop the engine for the National Combat Aircraft. In the same tender, TAEC is a competitor. With Kale Holding A., Rolls Royce Overseas Holdings Limited, and TAEC Aircraft Engine Industry Inc., the company was founded in 2017. The company is 51% owned by Kale Group.

The Kale Group company, Kale Arge, is renowned for creating the first turbojet missile engines in Turkey.

The SOM and ATMACA missiles will be powered by the Kale Arge KTJ-3200 and KTJ-1750 turbojet engines; AKIR. In contrast, the business provides the KTJ-3700 for the LAND SHOOTER and GEZG? N is working on the Cruise Missile’s engines as part of the ARAT Project. The Roketsan AKIR Cruise Missile’s first fire test with the KTJ-1750 Turbojet Engine just ended successfully.

According to Prof. Dr. Ismail Demir, president of the defence industry, the creation of a national turbofan engine for the KAAN fighter aircraft could take somewhere between 8 and 10 years. Currently, the KAAN fighter aircraft uses the US-made F110 Turbofan Engine. An F110 engine will power the first 20 KAAN aeroplanes, which are anticipated to fly for the first time in 2023 or 2024.

The Turkish Air Force is expected to receive the first KAAN from TAI in 2028.

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.