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| Turkiye's Prototype 5th Generation TF-X Fighter Jet Nearly Completed |
International Military - The TUSAS company (Türk Havacılık ve Uzay Sanayii A.Ş. (TUSAŞ) or Turkish Aerospace Industries) has almost completed manufacturing its fifth-generation fighter jet prototype. Photos of a fighter jet named TF-X have been circulated, showing that the aircraft is almost finished being assembled.
The first prototype of the TF-X aircraft is planned to be launched in 2023, as a gift for the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkiye. In terms of developing this fifth generation fighter jet, Turkiye initially received an offer from South Korea to join the KF-X project with Indonesia.
However, Ankara decided to develop its own fighter jet, which was originally known as the National Combat Aircraft (MMU). The TF-X program itself was officially launched on August 5, 2016 by the Defense Industry Agency (SSM) under the Turkiye Ministry of Defense together with TUSAÅž.
For specifications, the TF-X has a length of 19 m, a wingspan of 12 m, and is equipped with dual engines. It has a maximum speed of Mach 2 and a flight altitude of up to 16,760 m. The TF-X is projected to replace the Turkiye Air Force's (TurAF) F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet, which is targeted to enter service after 2030.