Digital Showcase of Turkey’s New Generation Fighter in Saudi Arabia
Turkey’s domestically developed stealth fighter jet KAAN was introduced to the international arena for the first time with an advanced concept design. The new generation jet was displayed for international experts at the Riyadh World Defense Fair.
At this session of the fair, Turkey’s aerospace industry presented its products and capabilities to foreign delegations using a novel method. Unlike previous practices that primarily relied on physical models, this time a dynamic and fully digital presentation of the “Autonomous Flight” (Otonom Uçuş – OKU) concept design was executed. In this simulation, the KAAN aircraft, along with two ANKA-III UAVs, exited the hangar and demonstrated maneuvers as part of a joint attack mission.
The “Autonomous Flight” concept is essentially a reflection of the modern Turkish Air Force’s doctrine of “manned-unmanned aircraft teaming.” Accordingly, fighter jets like the KAAN conduct joint operations in groups with advanced UAVs such as the ANKA-III.
Mehmet Demiroğlu, General Manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries, referring to the global digitalization process, explained:
“We concluded that we needed to present our products in a more effective, faster, and comprehensive manner. The idea put forward is similar to sixth-generation concepts, but with a focus on digital presentation and customized packages for different audience levels—from key information for officials to specialized technical data for experts. This engaging approach was offered for the first time at this fair and will be further enhanced in the future by adding artificial intelligence capabilities.”
