The P1 prototype of the KAAN, Türkiye’s national fifth-generation fighter jet developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), has completed a taxi test on the runway, clearing a key step in the aircraft’s pre-flight validation.
The P1 is the newer, more refined prototype in the KAAN program, one of Türkiye’s largest defense industry projects. By completing the taxi test, the aircraft has passed an important milestone on the way to its first flight.
KAAN made its maiden flight on February 21, 2024, in Ankara, and that test was completed successfully.
Before the first flight, engineers ran ejection seat tests, a full-scale static test, inertia and static tests of the control surfaces, and landing gear drop tests. The aircraft also went through avionics and fuel system tests in the systems integration laboratory. Slow and fast taxi tests on the runway followed.
Taxi tests verify how the aircraft handles maneuvering, braking, and system behavior at different speeds on the ground. They are a prerequisite for moving to controlled flight tests. The P1 prototype’s completion of this phase matters for keeping the KAAN’s timeline for series production and entry into service on track.
