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Abhijeet Sen
Abhijeet Sen is a digital journalist with over five years of experience specializing in the intersection of Indian politics, global economics and business trends. Known for translating complex policy ... Read More
Pakistan fighter jet: In a significant development which could potential impact its air superiority, Pakistan is reportedly expanding its capacity of fifth-generation fighter jets, planning to bring advanced collaborations with global partners including Turkey and China. After expressing a significant interest in China’s newly unveiled J-35A aircraft, Pakistan is now in talks with Turkey to explore potential cooperation on its fifth-generation combat jet, KAAN, which is expected to be launched by 2030.
At the eighth Pak-Turk Industrial Expo Joint Working Group meeting, both nations discussed defense and industrial collaboration, with a focus on exporting the KAAN fighter jet to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). Representatives from 32 institutions, including defense industry leaders from both countries, participated in the discussions, signaling a deepening of bilateral ties in defense technology, as per a report by the Eurasian Times.
According to a South China Morning Post report, Pakistan is very eager and is reportedly planning to buy 40 Chinese J-35 stealth fighter jets. The fighter jet deal is being considered by experts to be a major boost for Pakistan’s air capability. The J-35 aircraft is a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet developed by China’s Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. The aircraft are aimed at replacing Pakistan’s ageing fleet of American F-16 and French Mirage fighter jets.
As per Turkish claims, the KAAN fighter jet is expected to match the payload power capacity of the American F-35 aircraft that has an huge capacity to carry nearly 2,000 pounds of ammunition in its built-in weapons storage and up to 18,000 pounds externally. Moreover, the Turkish claims also add that the aircraft can carry significant ammunition levels including homegrown Turkish missiles like the Gokdogan, a long-range air-to-air missile, and the Bozdogan, a short-range counterpart.
“Initially designed as a fifth-generation jet, KAAN features stealth capabilities and twin engines generating 13,000 kilograms of thrust each, reaching speeds up to Mach 1.8. However, TAI’s plans extend further. Work is already underway on a sixth-generation version equipped with AI, state-of-the-art sensors, and the ability to integrate with unmanned platforms”, an article about the KAAN aircraft on the Turkish news outlet TRT World said.
Getting into the positioning of the product, the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) led by Turkush President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan aims to position Türkiye as a leader in modern fighter technology by 2030 and this product could be a step in that direction.
(With inputs from agencies)
