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Israeli analyst admits: Turkey has surpassed Tel Aviv's abandoned Lavi Project with KAAN

Israeli analyst Shay Gal clearly acknowledged the level Turkey has reached with its KAAN program in his latest article. Gal wrote that unlike Israel, which abandoned the Lavi project years ago, Turkey did not back down, but instead became a game-changing force with KAAN. According to the analyst, Ankara is no longer a country on the sidelines of the fifth-generation fighter jet development race; on the contrary, it is a new actor changing the regional balance. This assessment further highlights concerns in Tel Aviv and Washington about Turkey's rise in defense.

Turkey's national fighter jet KAAN has been making headlines in Israel for weeks. While Tel Aviv's security circles closely monitor KAAN's progress, the program has once again drawn attention with the assessments of Israeli analyst Shay Gal. KAAN, which Israel cannot stop talking about, has once again highlighted the level Ankara has reached in the field of aviation.

KAAN, SYMBOL OF TURKEY'S STRATEGIC DETERMINATION
Israeli analyst Shay Gal examined the KAAN program in an article published in Eurasian Times.

Gal emphasized that KAAN is not merely a technical project, but represents Turkey's determination not to yield in strategic areas.
The analyst stated that KAAN's maiden flight in February 2024 marks a turning point in Turkey's aviation history, adding, “Turkey has entered the fifth-generation platform race and is now right in the thick of it.”

Turkey's rise in the defense sector is being closely monitored by the US, Europe, and especially Israel.

According to Gal, KAAN is the most visible example of Ankara's determination to achieve complete independence in defense.

“WHERE TEL AVIV GAVE UP, ANKARA IS GOING ALL THE WAY”
Shay Gal highlighted the difference between the two countries with striking words, recalling Israel's Lavi fighter jet program developed in the 1980s.

Noting that Lavi was canceled due to US pressure, internal political conflicts, and rising costs, Gal wrote that Turkey never considered such a retreat:

“KAAN is a symbol of Turkey's determination not to yield in strategic areas. Where Israel gave up on the Lavi project, Ankara is going all the way.”

“U.S. CONTROL CAN SLOW ANKARA DOWN BUT CANNOT STOP IT”
The fact that U.S.-made F110 engines will be used in the first blocks of KAAN means that the program is dependent on Washington's export license. Gal noted that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the F110 license was “stuck in Congress.”
However, the analyst particularly highlighted the steps Turkey has taken to overcome this dependency. Stating that the TF-35000 engine, developed in collaboration with TEI-TRMotor, offers a permanent solution that will free Turkey from external control, Gal said, "The US's license control over the engine may slow Ankara down, but it cannot stop it. Turkey is determined to break its chains despite everything." TURKEY IS IRREVERSIBLY BUILDING ITS OWN AVIATION FUTURE Shay Gal noted that KAAN has also attracted significant interest from international buyers, specifically recalling Indonesia's $10 billion purchase agreement. However, Gal stated that the engine structure, which is dependent on a US license, poses a risk, and wrote that Turkey is preparing to solve this problem with a national engine. The analyst concluded his assessment by saying, “Turkey is irreversibly building its own aviation future, and this is unsettling Israel more than anyone else in the region.” TURKEY'S 5TH GENERATION NATIONAL COMBAT AIRCRAFT As the technical data and development process of Turkey's national combat aircraft KAAN become clear, Ankara's determination to design and produce its own fighter jet is now at an irreversible stage. KAAN has placed Turkey in the same class as the US, Russia, and China. The KAAN Development Project was launched with a contract signed with the Defense Industries Presidency on August 5, 2016. With TUSAŞ as the main contractor, the program was built on the goal of establishing the human resources and technological infrastructure to design and produce Turkey's own fighter jet.Throughout this process, cutting-edge technology was utilized at every stage, from aerodynamic testing to structural engineering solutions, cockpit design, and avionics systems. With KAAN, Turkey has joined the limited number of countries capable of developing fifth-generation fighter jets. KAAN'S HISTORIC FLIGHTS KAAN completed two critical flights that marked a turning point in Turkey's aviation history. February 21, 2024: The first flight lasted 13 minutes. KAAN reached an altitude of 8,000 feet and a speed of 230 knots.