Turkey is confidently moving towards the creation of its own fifth-generation fighter.
What is known
At Turkish Aerospace Industrythe presentation of the first prototype of the Turkish fighter called TF-X took place. The manufacturer has already been able to assemble several key parts of the aircraft - the center section, wings, as well as the nose and tail of the fuselage.
✨ Türkiye’nin en önemli savunma sanayisi projelerinden biri olarak öne çıkıyor
✅ Projede gövde parçaları nihai montaj hattına taşındı
???? 18 March’ta hangardan çıkacakMilli Muharip Uçak’ta kritik bir aşamaya daha geçildi https://t.co/T74lkqCQAB pic.twitter.com/vwUdS087T0
— ANADOLU AJANSI (@anadoluajansi) November 23, 2022
The prototype will be ready on March 18, 2023, afterwhich the state-owned aerospace company Turkish Aerospace Industry will be able to move on to ground testing of the fighter. The TF-X is expected to be able to take to the skies in 2026 (previously scheduled for 2025) and enter service two years after that.
Technical characteristics aircraft Turkey holdsin secret. It is known that at the initial stage, the TF-X should be equipped with F110 engines from the American company General Electric. In the future, it is planned to integrate Turkish-made engines. The supplier will be selected through a tender involving Tusas Engine Industries, TRMotor and TAEC (a joint venture between Kale Group and Rolls Royce).
???????????????? #NEW
✅ #Turkey's indigenous 5th generation TF-X fighter jet is on the final assembly line.
✅ It is set to leave the hanger for the first time on March 18, 2023.
✅ #TFX expected to be in service in 2030 to replace fighter jets acquired from the #US. pic.twitter.com/wtc9j7JJBT
— Dr. Ali BAKIR (علي باكير) (@AliBakeer) November 23, 2022
The length of the TF-X will be 18.2 meters, and the wingspan will bealmost 11.9 meters. This means that the Turkish fighter will not be much larger than the American F-35 Lightning II, but will be inferior in size to the F-22 Raptor.
On the way to creating TF-X, the company will have toface some problems. The key is the delay in deliveries of General Electric engines (F-110-GE-129 or F110-GE-132). Yes, the production of power plants has been established in Turkey, but they are used in the F-16C / D Fighting Falcon and have simplified technical parameters.
TF-X was unveiled earlier.President and CEO, Temil Kotel told me, “Its going to be the best fighter in Europe!” First flight expected in 2025 and should be in service in 2028. pic.twitter.com/DPw7oXoG2d
— Alan Warnes (@warnesyworld) June 17, 2019
It is not a fact that the United States will want to supply the necessaryengines, and a deal with Russia in view of the attack on Ukraine looks very unlikely. Other issues are the high cost and supply of modern digital electronics, which may be in question as other countries also develop to exterminate the sixth generation.