Ankara, Aug. 28 – The TF35000 indigenous turbofan engine for Turkey’s Kaan stealth fighter jet will not begin testing until 2032, making 2033 operational availability on production aircraft unrealistic according to current program data. Turkish Aerospace Industries TAI CEO Mehmet Demiroglu’s timeline clashes with Defence Review reports that TEI TUSAŞ Engine Industries only reached Critical Design Review in February 2026. Only one year would separate first tests from full integration, qualification and certification of an entirely new high-thrust military engine.
The Kaan program, launched in 2016 to replace Turkish F-16s from the 2030s, saw its first prototype fly in February 2024. Initial Block 10 and Block 20 aircraft, with deliveries from 2028 to 2030, will use General Electric F110-GE-129 engines, including 80 units notified for sale in 2026. The TF35000, rated at 156 kilonewtons with afterburner and intended for Block 30 and Block 40 variants, offers 20 percent more thrust than the American powerplant. Whether 2032 testing means ground runs or flight trials, the one-year gap remains too short for defect correction and production configuration.
Modern fighter engine development timelines underscore the challenge. China’s WS-15 required nearly 20 years from 2005 bench tests to limited J-20 use, while Russia’s Izdeliye 30 AL-51 for the Su-57 has spanned decades without fleet-wide service despite NPO Saturn’s experience. TEI lacks comparable high-thrust fighter engine heritage, so TF35000 service is more likely from 2040, extending F110 use.
Even possible Rolls-Royce cooperation linked to Eurofighter Typhoon talks would not compress the remaining design-to-operational stages enough for a 2033 Kaan engine swap. Realistic schedules demand eight or more years after 2032 testing for integration and production readiness on this stealth combat aircraft.