US veteran evaluates Türkiye's combat aircraft KAAN

Retired U.S. service member Chris offered comments on Türkiye's first domestically produced fighter jet, the KAAN, which successfully completed its maiden flight on Feb. 21. 

In a video on his YouTube channel with 1.5 million followers, Chris, said,  "If there's one lesson being a military history enthusiast has taught me, it's to never underestimate the Turks."

KAAN is expected to begin serial production by 2028. 

Recalling the U.S. embargo on Türkiye, Chris said: "Avoid imposing arms embargoes and covert conditions on your clients, as this will incentivize them to achieve self-sufficiency and compete for future customers once their products mature and become export-ready."

Chris explained that Türkiye's decision to buy the S-400 missile defense system from Russia strained relations with the United States. As a consequence, the U.S. refused to sell Turkey F-35 fighter jets, which Türkiye had previously planned to acquire. In response to this rejection, Türkiye announced its intention to develop its own indigenous fighter aircraft program.

Chris noted Türkiye's struggle to become a self-sufficient country, stating, "I can't blame them for wanting to produce their own planes. Allies can quickly become enemies. So relying on other countries for all your military technologies is a big misconception."

Contributions of Turkish engineers

Chris recalled the significant contributions of Turkish engineers to American fifth-generation aircraft programs, saying, "I remember the day they stopped working with us and left the program. I knew they could make a good jet 1000%. Frankly, I respect Türkiye for this. I like it when U.S. allies have indigenous military industries."

"Türkiye has come a long way in developing its weapons as they should be, and this is beneficial in the long run. Frankly, Türkiye is on the right path," he added.

Türkiye wants U.S. support, not control

Chris pointed out that Türkiye's participation in American aircraft programs has prepared them for developing their own new generation aircraft. He emphasized that strengthening its defense industry is a natural step for Türkiye to take, stating, "They live in a tough region. They probably just want our support but don't want our control. This is quite understandable."

Extraordinary achievement

Highlighting that Türkiye is the fourth country in the world to produce a fifth-generation fighter aircraft after the U.S., Russia, and China, the former American military personnel said, "I guess people don't understand how extraordinary what Türkiye has done is. Türkiye did a good job."

Chris also found it ironic that Ukraine, with money from the U.S. and EU, wants to buy fighter jets from Türkiye.

Türkiye is very important for NATO

At the end of his video, Chris said, "Personally, I think Türkiye is a great asset for NATO. I love Türkiye. I've been there several times, and I've always had great experiences. The Turkish people are great, honest, and serious when they speak. I have many Turkish friends."