CEO of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) Mehmet Demiroğlu stated that Turkey is far ahead of Europe in 6th generation fighter jets.
According to Mehmet Demiroğlu, CEO of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the Kaan fighter jet program, thanks to major investments, will provide Turkey with a significant advantage compared to the stalled Tempest and FCAS projects in Europe.
Speaking at a conference held at the Turkish Embassy in Berlin, Germany, Demiroğlu said Turkey has left European manufacturers behind in advanced jet development, and some projects in the bloc have not yet started.
Demiroğlu noted that while the Tempest and FCAS programs in Europe are experiencing a slowdown, the TAI Kaan fighter jet made its maiden flight in February 2024.
16,300 EMPLOYES
Demiroğlu stated that the company has created 13 unique platforms since 2005 and expanded its facility in Ankara into a 4 million square meter campus, providing employment for 16,300 people.
He added that TAI has become a key supplier in global civil aviation, providing critical structural components for nearly every Airbus aircraft in service.
Demiroğlu also said that the newly established space center in Somalia will secure Turkey's launch independence in an increasingly competitive global space race.
"BRAIN DRAIN HAS REVERSED"
Demiroğlu stated that the loss of skilled labor due to brain drain in the early 2020s has reversed, and "the number of workers returning to Turkey, especially to TAI, is much higher than those leaving."
He also mentioned that TAI operates Europe's second largest subsonic wind tunnel for aerodynamic tests.
Demiroğlu called on young migrant workers to return to their country to contribute to the expanding domestic aerospace ecosystem, as the nation's technological independence grows with local infrastructure investments.
