Turkey’s TF Kaan programme has crossed clear developmental milestones that change how operators and ANSPs need to think about a future export fighter entering crowded skies. The prototype completed its maiden flight in February 2024 and flew again in spring test sorties; the jet that will become KAAN is currently flying on interim General Electric F110 engines while Turkey continues development of a domestic powerplant.

On the mission systems side, Turkish industry has been explicit about pushing indigenous sensor and RF capability into the aircraft. ASELSAN’s MURAD AESA and integrated RF/EW architecture has been developed to serve manned and unmanned platforms and has been flight tested on Turkish platforms with the stated intent to migrate that capability into the TF Kaan family. That sensor roadmap matters for export customers because radar, EW and datalink behaviour directly affects civil surveillance and ATC systems when the airplane operates in shared airspace.

From a pilot and operator perspective the airspace-integration checklist for an export-capable fifth generation fighter is practical and non-negotiable. National and regional equipage mandates require civil surveillance capability for aircraft operating in many types of controlled airspace. European implementing rules and ICAO flight plan/SSR expectations categorise required transponder/ADS-B equipage and transponder coding that any export variant must be able to present to civil authorities. In short, a warplane that will transit civilian routes or work alongside civil traffic cannot be treated solely as a military black box; it must carry civil-authority-compatible SSR/ADS-B or have formally agreed exceptions.

There is also the friend-or-foe side of the ledger. Modern IFF standards and Mode 5 keying, plus the need to segregate classified military IFF functionality from civil transponder functions, create certification and airworthiness hooks that export customers will need to clear. National technical airworthiness authorities expect that any military IFF implementation that exposes civil functions meets civil certification criteria and that interoperability with host-nation interrogation systems be validated. That means interoperability testing, potential AIMS/STANAG approvals, and agreement on cryptographic key management before routine peacetime flights in partner airspace.

Operational implications for an export TF Kaan operator

  • Certification and civil approval: The aircraft’s transponder/ADS-B and any Mode S civil functionality should be certified to the receiving state’s ANSP and meet ICAO Annex/flight-plan requirements before civil airspace transits. Plan for formal acceptance trials with that state’s ATC.
  • IFF/keying and security: If the aircraft will operate with Mode 5 or other NATO-class IFF in coalition contexts, expect a separate certification path for those capabilities plus arrangements for secure key distribution and handling. Civil avionics embedded in military LRUs must be assessed for airworthiness to civil standards.
  • Emissions management and EW modes: EW, jamming or high-power RF emissions used in testing or operations can disrupt surveillance infrastructure. Export customers and TAI should build RF-emissions coordination protocols and testing windows with national ANSPs to avoid safety impacts.
  • Data links and interoperability: Secure datalinks and datashare formats need to be profiled against customer C2, ground-based radars and partner platforms. Export customers will want assurance on cryptographic independence, resilience, and the ability to operate inside their national networks without foreign-controlled gatekeepers.
  • Flight-test airspace and training: Before operational use in civilian airspace, plan for segregated test ranges and joint civil-military trials. Pilots and ATC must be trained on handling transits where the fighter may suppress emissions or change identification modes for tactical reasons. These are mundane but mission-critical procedures that determine whether routine peacetime flights are safe and politically acceptable.

Programmatic and export-control realities to watch

Two practical items can slow or shape export integration more than raw aerodynamics. First, source control on key items such as engines or US-origin subsystems can bring export licensing or end-use conditions into play. An export customer needs clarity up front on what elements are exportable without third-country approval. Second, civil certification of civil-facing subsystems embedded inside military LRUs takes time and a paperwork trail many defence projects underestimate. Getting the transponder, ADS-B and Mode S/Mode A functions cast as civil-approved elements requires early engagement with the purchaser’s ANSP and national certification authority.

A pragmatic path forward for TAI and potential buyers

1) Lock in civil surveillance and transponder compliance early. Build a compliance baseline for the common airspace mandates buyers will face. 2) Publish a clear interface and certification plan for IFF and datalinks. Export customers will require documented procedures for key management, cryptographic independence and the division between civil and military functions. 3) Conduct joint civil-military flight trials in candidate export countries before any acceptance flights through busy terminal areas. Those trials build trust with ANSPs and surface latent integration risks. 4) Provide operator-focused training packages that cover civil ATC interaction, transponder/ADS-B use in peacetime transits, and contingency procedures when stealth or emission control modes are necessary.

Bottom line for safety-focused operators and regulators

TF Kaan’s airframe and sensors are the hardware headline. For safety and efficiency the headline that matters to civil and military operators is whether the aircraft can be accepted into national airspace regimes without disrupting civil surveillance or creating undue security risk. That work is not glamorous, but it is what makes an export fighter a practical tool instead of a diplomatic liability. If TAI and early customers treat certification, IFF arrangements and civil-military flight trials as front-loaded tasks, the programme will be far more export-ready and safer for the shared skies it will operate in.