Turkish Aerospace Confirms US Export License Secured for KAAN’s F110 Engines
Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) has secured the US export license for the General Electric F110 engines that will power the first serial-production batch of the KAAN fighter, CEO Mehmet Demiroğlu confirmed at the Farnborough International Airshow. The Congressional review period closed without objection on 9 July, and the accompanying Technical Assistance Agreement has also moved forward.
“We can say yes, we have the export license for the engine. We will work with GE folks to get the engines in time,” Demiroğlu told Breaking Defense on the show floor. He added that he expects two KAAN prototypes “to fly side-by-side by the end of next year.”
Ten engines in hand, eighty on order
Turkish Aerospace already holds ten F110 engines allocated to the prototype and flight-test campaign. The cleared license unlocks the procurement of roughly 80 additional engines to support initial serial production, with first deliveries expected by 2027.
The first KAAN prototype completed its 13-minute maiden flight on 21 February 2024. Deliveries to the Turkish Air Force are targeted for 2028. In the longer term, the fighter is planned to transition to the indigenous TF35000 engine, projected to be operational around 2032.
Why the license matters beyond Türkiye
The engine question has hung over KAAN’s export momentum. Indonesia signed for 48 aircraft in June 2026, while the Turkish Air Force contracted its first block of 20 aircraft in May 2026. A stable F110 supply chain is the gating factor for both schedules, which is why the quiet expiry of the Congressional review period carries outsized weight.
HÜRJET, helicopters and MUM-T
At the company’s Farnborough press conference, Demiroğlu said four additional HÜRJET prototypes will join the flight-test campaign during 2026, including aircraft configured for the light-combat variant. He also outlined the renewed production plan for the T-70 utility helicopter and the market outlook for the heavier T-925. On manned-unmanned teaming, Turkish Aerospace is not waiting for KAAN: testing is already under way with ANKA-3, HÜRJET and swarm-class platforms.
Sources
- Breaking Defense — interview with CEO Mehmet Demiroğlu (22 July 2026)
- Turkish Aerospace (official) — KAAN, T-70, T-925 and HÜRJET roadmaps — press releases
- GE Aerospace — official press release
A General Electric F110 engine at full afterburner during a US Air Force test (file photo). Photo: USAF / public domain. Inline: full-scale KAAN mock-up at Teknofest 2019 (CC BY-SA 4.0, CeeGee / Wikimedia Commons).
