TUSAŞ announced through its social media channels that the new prototype of the national fighter aircraft KAAN has begun runway testing. The shared images show the prototype, which has not yet received its final paint scheme, conducting pre-flight taxi tests as part of ground testing operations. This phase is considered critical in the aerospace industry for validating the aircraft's fundamental systems and mobility capabilities.

TUSAŞ is one of Turkey's most important organizations in the field of defense aviation. The company is maximizing the use of domestic technology and engineering capacity in the development of the KAAN project. The establishment of TUSAŞ marked an important step in developing Turkey's aircraft design and manufacturing capabilities, and today the company constitutes a strategic pillar of Turkish defense industry. The company's investment in 5th generation fighter aircraft projects such as KAAN reflects Turkey's objective of achieving military aviation independence.

KAAN is designed to possess 5th generation fighter aircraft technology. The aircraft is characterized by advanced radar evasion capabilities, high maneuverability, and integrated avionics systems. Taxi tests are conducted to verify that the aircraft's landing gear systems, braking mechanisms, and directional control systems operate properly under ground conditions. These tests represent mandatory steps that must be completed before proceeding to flight testing and play a critical role in ensuring aircraft safety.

The first prototype of KAAN successfully completed its maiden flight in 2024. Following the initial flight, the project entered a new phase, and production of improved P1 and P2 prototypes with advanced system architecture has been undertaken. Test and development operations with these new prototypes are ongoing. Project management has indicated that each prototype will undergo progressively more advanced testing than its predecessor, and the aircraft's operational capabilities will be validated incrementally. Taxi testing constitutes an important portion of this incremental validation process.

Globally, 5th generation fighter aircraft programs are represented by platforms such as the F-35, Rafale, and Su-57. The KAAN project is designed to establish Turkey's position in this competitive global arena. The project is based on principles of domestic design, domestic production, and domestic technology utilization. Successful completion of taxi tests will demonstrate that KAAN can proceed to operational flight testing and will accelerate project progress. Turkish defense industry's success in this domain will strengthen the nation's technological independence and strategic defense capacity.