Images of Turkey's 5th Gen TFX fighter on its first taxi testing on a runaway were successfully stated by the Defense Industries Agency. These pictures were allegedly taken at the Turkish Aerospace Industries' facilities in Ankara, noted the Daily Sabah.
TF-X Fighter Completes Taxi Testing
This development in Turkey's indigenous TF-X fighter program was first revealed by the Turkish defense news website SavunmaSanayiST on Twitter.
The Turkish Defense Industry Agency chief Ismail Demir posted on social media that the National Combat Aircraft will be leaving the hangar on March 18. "Our plane is on the runway today!" he added.
Demir praised President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his leadership for following through with the advanced fighter program. He added the start of the advanced fighter program in 2010 has been fraught with problems. A turning point was the exclusion of Turkey from the US F-35 development, which allowed resources to shift to the TF-X by 2019.
Based on the claims of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), which developed the prototype with 5th gen technology and relevant systems. Ankara's target is to have 2030 flying with the Turkish Air Force. Sources say that Ankara is the only of a few nations with the capacity to make low-observable aircraft specialized for next-generation combat. The weapons bay makes it 5th gen, which is internal, super maneuvering, and has a better sensor suite to scan for threats. These are characteristics of the 5th gen aircraft.
Turkey's advanced fighter has all the upgraded capabilities that are associated with the 5th gen warplanes. Advanced data processing with AI and target sensing functions included.
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Turkey's 5th Gen TF-X Fighter
Seen in the front of the jet is a new sensor array that was first seen in pictures revealed early this year, reported Eurasian Times.
It is supposed to be a multi-purpose electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) with an infrared search and track (IRST) under the frontal part of the airframe. The IRST is on a prismatic box that lessens radar bounce under the cockpit section in a two-tone gray color, states Lockheed Martin. The exhaust nozzles of the jet are the same as several General Electric F110 engines, and these engines were added without a hitch.
TUSAS plans the advanced fighter to have F110 turbofans made locally with a license. Later, the American engine will be replaced by a domestic production engine made in Turkey.
Plans To Manufacture Local Engine Speculations
The manufacturer delivered these F110s, and long ago a deal with Rolls-Royce had been talked about before. But the deal did not pan out due to issues. A Russian engine was discussed at one point, but the Ukraine conflict prevents that from happening anytime soon. Not enough data exists about the Turkish stealth airplane, but it does look like the Raptor in design.
How soon the jet will be ready for operations is still being determined, but a deal for F-16s from Washington shows how many new jets are needed. It has come to the point that the delay will force Ankara to buy elsewhere due to US delays in its decision. Turkey's 5th Gen TF-X fighter has been seen taxi testing to prepare it for operation on the planned date.
