Erdogan announces the success of the first flight of the Turkish Qan fighter. Erdogan confirmed that his country has completed an important stage on the path to producing fifth generation fighters.
The new fighter will initially be powered by two General Electric F-110 engines, which are also used in the American F-16 fourth generation fighters produced by Lockheed Martin. But Turkey seeks to produce locally-made engines to power the Qaan fighter, and this is expected to begin in 2028. The United States excluded Turkey from the F-35 fighter program - in which it was a manufacturer and buyer - in 2020.