Azerbaijan, Turkiye to cooperate in creation of Turkish fifth-generation fighter

Azerbaijan and Turkiye have agreed on cooperation within the framework of the project to create a fifth-generation Turkish fighter Kaan.

Azernews reports with reference to TRT Haber that this agreement will be formalized by a bilateral agreement, which is planned to be signed as part of the International Defense Industry Exhibition (IDEF-2023) taking place in Istanbul.

Baku’s participation in the project should be seen as an important step in the modernization of the Azerbaijani Air Force, equipped with Russian MiG-29 aircraft.

According to the Defense Turk portal, which specializes in the military-industrial complex, Ukraine may also take part in the project to create a Turkish fighter.

The fifth-generation fighter Kaan has been created in Turkey since 2017 as part of the National Combat Aircraft program. It is planned that it will make its first flight this year, and its mass production will begin in 2028. The Turkish authorities have previously stated that the Kaan will surpass the American F-35 in terms of tactical and technical characteristics and in the future will replace the F-16 fighters in service with the Republic’s Air Force.