One of the world’s largest aviation and defence events, the Paris Air Show, kicked off with significant international participation. While global defence giants showcased their latest technologies, Turkish defence industry representatives also attracted attention with noteworthy announcements.
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu gave exclusive remarks to Millet News Agency Editor-in-Chief Sinan Burhan during the Paris Air Show.
Demiroğlu stated that Turkey is now among the leading nations in the global aviation sector and shared the latest developments in the country’s key projects—the national combat aircraft KAAN and the advanced jet trainer/light attack aircraft HÜRJET.
“KAAN to Fly in 2026, Deliveries Set for 2028–2029”
Demiroğlu announced that the first KAAN prototype will fly in the first quarter of 2026, with a second prototype taking flight in the second quarter of the same year. He emphasised that preparations for mass production are progressing rapidly:
“Following the agreement signed last week with Indonesia for 48 KAAN units, we expect further interest from other countries. That’s why we’ve shifted our focus entirely to mass production. The challenge now isn’t developing the systems—it’s deploying them quickly.”
He also confirmed that deliveries of KAAN will begin between 2028 and 2029.
“Turkey Is the Supermarket of Aviation”
Highlighting Turkey’s versatile production capabilities, Demiroğlu pointed out that the country now produces not only fighter jets but also UAVs, satellites, and civilian aircraft at a global scale:
“We are now the supermarket of aviation. We make aircraft, drones, satellites. We even manufacture for aerospace giants like Boeing and Airbus—and we are the sole supplier for some critical components. As global demand increases, we are expanding our capacity to meet it.”
Rapid Progress on HÜRJET
Demiroğlu also reported steady and intensive progress on HÜRJET, Turkey’s first indigenous jet trainer and light attack aircraft. He confirmed that both engineering and production phases are advancing in line with the project schedule.
