ANKARA, Turkey — The primary aircraft of Turkey’s indigenous fighter program, the TF-X, sits in a hangar ahead of its maiden flight at the tip of the 12 months. But fiscal problems could stand in the way in which of its success, based on an analyst, at the same time as the country’s president seeks partners for this system.
The Turkish economy is experiencing high inflation, and the country’s external debt reached nearly $476 billion in March. The international insurance company Allianz Trade reported the stock of total external debt due inside the following 12 months has risen to about $250 billion.
“Inevitably, the TF-X program will face financial difficulties in keeping with the country’s economic situation,” Ozgur Eksi, a defense analyst in Ankara, told Defense News.
Nevertheless, Turkey is in search of foreign partners, which could lessen its own financial burden in regard to this system.
Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said Aug. 14 Pakistan was about to sign an agreement to take part in the event of the fifth-generation fighter. “Friendly and brotherly countries are also making efforts to change into partners on this project. An agreement was signed with Azerbaijan. There are other countries which might be also about to sign, like Pakistan,” Guler said.
If Pakistan joins the Turkish program, it could be its second international fighter partnership following a take care of China on the JF-17 built by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Chengdu Aircraft Corp.
As for Azerbaijan, the federal government there signed a protocol with Turkey to explore involvement within the TF-X program.
“With the protocol, it’s aimed to find out the working procedures and principles of cooperation with Azerbaijan on joint production issues, including the event activities of the Fifth-generation national combat aircraft Kaan, which is being developed for the Turkish Air Force,” based on the Turkish Defence Industry Agency, using the federal government’s chosen name for the TF-X aircraft.
The agency, otherwise referred to as SSB, didn’t reply to Defense News’ questions on the TF-X and specifically Pakistan’s current status in relation to this system.
The Pakistan Air Force declined to comment on the status.
“Getting in foreign partners is like subletting a part of your own home: You share expenses, but disputes change into inevitable and troubleshooting takes for much longer than normal,” Eksi said. “Hydrocarbon-rich Azerbaijan has money. Pakistan doesn’t but could transfer know-how. Once combat-proven, the Kaan might be an option for countries without access to Western-made fighter aircraft.”
Eugene Kogan, a defense analyst based in Tbilisi, Georgia, said Azerbaijan appears able to bring money to the table.
“As for Pakistan, I ponder what exactly it may well bring to the table. Not money, obviously. Technological know-how? More questions than answers,” he told Defense News.
Future flight
The federal government desires to fly the planned aircraft this 12 months, the centennial of the Turkish republic. Turkish Aerospace Industries said the TF-X will fly Dec. 27, 2023.
Under this system, TAI will deliver 20 TF-X Block 10 aircraft to the Air Force in 2028. The corporate said in March the per-unit price will likely be $100 million, but noted in May it might be “a bit of bit higher.” By 2029, TAI plans to supply two TF-X fighters monthly, generating an annual revenue of $2.4 billion.
“Perhaps, the aircraft will fly for political purposes before critical local elections [in March] but without most systems fitted into it,” a program insider told Defense News on the condition of anonymity, fearing prosecution for discussing the topic. “Most Turks is not going to know or care if the aircraft is prepared for any mission. It can be a chunk in [the] government’s showoff.”
Turkey launched the TF-X program in 2009. In October 2016, British firm Rolls-Royce offered a joint production partnership to Turkey with a view to powering planned Turkish platforms and potential sales to 3rd parties. The corporate’s proposal, which still stands, would see a production unit in Turkey manufacture engines for the TF-X in addition to helicopters, tanks and missiles.
In January 2017, the British company BAE Systems and TAI signed a deal price greater than £100 million (U.S. $127 million) to develop the Turkish fighter jet. Presently there are about 30 BAE engineers working on the TAI production unit for the TF-X.
Then in 2022, the Turkish government launched a contest for the local development of a turbofan engine to power the TF-X. Three competitors are within the running: Tusas Engine Industries; TRMotor; and TAEC, a three way partnership between Rolls-Royce and Turkish industrial conglomerate Kale, which owns 51% of TAEC.
TAEC has pitched an engine expected to fly the aircraft at a maximum altitude of 40,000 feet and help it reach a speed of as much as Mach 1.8.
It’s unclear what TRMotor is offering. The corporate was founded in 2017 by SSTEK, a subsidiary of SSB. Tusas, which is the parent company of Tusas Engine Industries and Turkish Aerospace Industries, wholly owns TRMotor.
Tusas Engine Industries is developing TEI-TF6000 and TEI-TF10000 engines, referring to them as a prelude to what it can produce for the TF-X. TEI is a government-controlled business founded in 1985 as a three way partnership involving the American firm GE Aviation (now GE Aerospace), Turkish Aerospace Industries, the Turkish Aeronautical Association, and the government-owned Turkish Armed Forces Foundation.
SSB plans to construct TF-X prototypes using the American-made F110 engine. The General Electric F110 is an afterburning turbofan jet engine produced by GE Aerospace, and it uses the identical engine core design as the corporate’s F101. The engine can also be built under license by Tusas Engine Industries.
Turkey wants to make use of the F110 in serial production, but powering the TF-X with the engine may prove difficult because serial production could require vast amounts of investment and tests. Moreover, this selection would include the identical export license and mental property rights as Rolls-Royce’s offer, which the Turkish government dislikes.
Eksi said the federal government shouldn’t delay its engine alternative any longer.
“Every [engine] proposal has benefits and downsides. Ankara must make a choice directly before it’s too late to maneuver onto the serial production phase at feasible costs,” he explained.
Ultimately, the TF-X’s export potential is vital to this system’s success, Eksi added.
“There are several countries that can’t buy Western-made aircraft for political reasons. A few of those countries also need to avoid Russian- or Chinese-made aircraft, also for political reasons. The Kaan might be what they’re on the lookout for.”
Usman Ansari in Islamabad contributed to this report.
Burak Ege Bekdil is the Turkey correspondent for Defense News.