B.C. union representing Lower Mainland transit workers issues 72-hour strike notice

The Canadian Press

A union representing more than 180 transit workers in B.C. has issued a 72-hour strike notice.

CUPE Local 4500 represents workers employed by the Coast Mountain Bus Company, which runs transit operations for all of Metro Vancouver.

The notice is effective at 8 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

The union says it is still available to negotiate a collective agreement that avoids service disruptions.

It says job action could begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday with an overtime ban that would affect all operations in the Coast Mountain system.

The union says the last collective agreement expired at the end of 2022 and bargaining didn't start until this past October. 

Members voted 100 per cent in favour of a strike mandate last month.

"We regard job action as the last resort in our effort to reach a fair deal, but we don't see an alternative," Chris Gindhu, president of CUPE Local 4500, said in a statement. "To date, Coast Mountain has been unwilling to address our key issues."

Coast Mountain Bus Company President and General Manager Michael McDaniel said in a statement that the company has offered CUPE Local 4500 the same basic wage increase that was already agreed to by all other CMBC employees.

"This offer is consistent with other public sector settlements in British Columbia. We urge the union to return to the bargaining table to finalize a deal," said McDaniel.

The company says it does not anticipate the union’s potential overtime ban to impact transit services at this time.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 2, 2024.

 

Elon Musk's SpaceX illegally fired workers who criticized him, U.S. labour board alleges

Josh Eidelson and Loren Grush, Bloomberg News

Elon Musk’s SpaceX illegally fired employees because they wrote and shared a letter about their workplace concerns, the U.S. labour board alleged.

A regional director of the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against SpaceX Wednesday, alleging that the company illegally interrogated, surveilled and retaliated against workers, agency spokesperson Kayla Blado said in an email. The fired workers include authors of a 2022 open letter protesting “inappropriate, disparaging, sexually charged comments on Twitter” by Musk, according to their attorneys.

The company, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp., didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

A trial is set to begin March 5, the NLRB said.

Complaints issued by NLRB prosecutors are considered by agency judges, whose rulings can be appealed to the NLRB members in Washington, and then to federal court. The agency has the authority to order companies to reinstate fired workers and provide back pay, but generally can’t hold executives personally liable for alleged wrongdoing or issue any punitive damages.

 

17.4 per cent raise over 5 years for Quebec's 'common front' public sector unions

The Canadian Press

Striking teachers and their supporters hold a rally in front of Premier Francois Legault's office, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Around 420,000 Quebec public sector workers will receive salary increases of 17.4 per cent over five years.

The labour alliance representing the workers confirmed today the settlement that led to a Dec. 28 agreement in principle with the provincial government.

The agreement includes a clause that would protect the purchasing power of union members during the three final years of the deal.

The alliance — known as the "common front" — had been seeking a three-year contract that would have tied wage raises to the consumer price index, plus an additional increase of two to four per cent.

Union leaders representing workers in sectors such as education and health care are evaluating the offer, which will be presented to members during assemblies that should begin mid-January.

The proposed deal gives psychologists and specialized workers higher increases than other union members.

The government has also reached a deal in principle with a teachers union that has about 66,000 members — called the FAE — but the province is still negotiating with a major health-care worker union with 80,000 members.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 3, 2024.

 

Maersk’s APM Sells Spanish Terminal to AD Ports to Consolidate Operations

APM viewed Castellon as non-core permitting AD Ports to consolidate and expand Noatum's Spanish operation (APM)

PUBLISHED JAN 3, 2024 9:15 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Spain’s Castellón terminal, operated by Maersk’s APM Terminals for the past eight years, is being sold to AD Ports in a transaction designed to consolidate the operation of terminals in Spain. APM views the operation located north of Valencia on the Mediterranean as a non-core asset while AD Ports already also has a presence in the port and will use the acquisition to consolidate its operations.

The companies reported that they have obtained all regulatory and stakeholder approvals and the change of ownership will take place effective immediately. Noatum Group’s Noatum Terminals acquired 100 percent of the ownership of the terminal in a deal that valued the facility at €100 million (enterprise value).

“This decision comes after careful analysis,” said Carlos Arias, Managing Director, Spanish Gateway Terminals at APM Terminals. “The Castellón terminal, acquired by APM Terminals in 2015 with the purchase of the TCB Group, is not a strategic asset for APM Terminals and A.P. Moller–Maersk, and therefore plays a limited role in achieving our strategic goals.”

Noatum Terminals has been managing a multipurpose terminal in Castellón since 2004 and views this deal as part of a strategy to consolidate its position in Spain. As it moves to grow its operations, the company has the backing of AD Ports, which acquired Noatum in July 2023.

The new combined operation in Castellón will have an annual capacity to handle 250,000 TEU representing around 70 percent of the container volume capacity of the Port of Castellón. In addition, the two terminals can handle two million tonnes of bulk cargo, as well as RoRo.

The acquisition allows Noatum Terminal Castellón to expand its operational capacity for bulk, general cargo, and container processing while maintaining APM Terminals' third-party services and agreements. They have also completed a long-term agreement with the stevedoring union for the operation of the facilities. 

Noatum highlights that has been investing in upgrades at the port which has good rail connections as well as serving the Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa. They have modernized the operation while maintaining existing equipment and facilities. The acquisition is designed to enhance its position as a leading multipurpose port operator in the Western Mediterranean.
 

UK
Thames Valley rivers used as overflow for sewage

3rd January 2024,

By Bethan Nimmo

BBC

Oxfordshire Political Reporter

Thames Water said many of their sewage treatment works have been impacted by Storm Henk

Sewage has been discharged into rivers at nearly 270 sites across the Thames in one week, data from a water firm has revealed.

Figures from Thames Water show some overflows have been pumping untreated, raw, sewage into its waterways for more than 100 hours.

A spokesperson for the water company said many of their sewage treatment works have been impacted by Storm Henk.

An expert said he is "shocked" the rivers have been used like a sewer.

Thames Water uses the rivers as an overflow for when its sewer systems are overwhelmed by rainfall.

Dr Alex Lipp, an environmental scientist at the University of Oxford, created a website to show where the sewage is being pumped in and where it ends up.

He has been tracking the data released by Thames Water and believes it's been one of the worst weeks for sewage spills in the region.

He said there had been 229 sewage overflows discharging simultaneously on Tuesday, which has only been beaten once in November 2023.

The water firm said it regards all sewage discharges as "unacceptable" after figures showed almost 270 sites had been impacted in one week

Dr Lipp said it's "upsetting" to see this issue happening and raised concerns about the impact on wildlife.

He explained that alongside the "normal" contents of the toilet, the sewage going into the rivers also contains pesticides, pharmaceuticals and illegal drugs.

"They form a chemical cocktail in waterways. Actually, because a lot of these chemicals are relatively novel, we don't really know the impact these have, especially when mixed together, on aquatic organisms," he explained.

"It is just frankly shocking that in the 21st Century we are just discharging raw sewage, it is upsetting."

'Unacceptable'

Thames Water has been providing real-time monitoring on sewage overflows across the Thames basin since last year.

A spokesperson for the firm said they regard all discharges as "unacceptable" and plans were in place to upgrade 250 of its sewage treatment works and sewers.

They added: "Taking action to improve the health of rivers is a key focus for us and we want to lead the way with our transparent approach to data."

Thames Water is believed to be the first company to provide live alerts for all untreated discharges throughout its region, the spokesperson continued.

They explained: "This 'near real-time' data is available to customers as a map on our website and is also available through an open data platform for third parties, such as swimming and environmental groups to use."

K2 Black Panther: One Of the Best Tanks on Earth (Made in South Korea)

The K2 Black Panther is the most expensive tank on Earth for a simple reason: it might just be the best tank on Earth.



January 2, 2024 Topic

by Peter Suciu

South Korea's K2 Black Panthers Are Among the Best MBTs in the World - While there may be disagreement on what is the "best" main battle tank (MBT) in service, the short list includes the German Leopard 2, the British Challenger 2, and the U.S. M1 Abrams. At the same time, the Russian T-90 and T-14 Armata could also be considered.

Then there is the South Korean K2 Black Panther.

Considered among the best – and possibly better than any others – it is also noted for being the most expensive MBT produced to date, with each reportedly costing around $8.5 million.

As Harrison Kass previously reported for The National Interest, "Each unit thus represents a significant investment in South Korean defense capabilities. Hyundai, better known for its mid-to-low-priced cars, manufactures the K2. But the K2 is no Hyundai Santa Fe. This is a serious, cutting-edge piece of technology – the world's first and only fourth-generation battle tank."

It was in June 2023 that Seoul approved the production of another run of K2 Black Panthers in a deal worth an estimated 1.94 trillion won ($1.46 billion). It was the fourth round of mass production of the MBT, TheDefensePost reported.

It might seem surprising that South Korea, which has become one of the most successful democracies in Asia, developed such a tank and is investing so heavily in it. But there is a good reason – namely, North Korea.

South Korea's Tank Force

During the Korean War, the first tanks deployed by the United Nations forces were the American M24 Chaffee light tanks. Not unexpectedly the M24s fared poorly against North Korea's Soviet-built T-35-85s. Following the war, the South Korean military bolstered its armored fleet with a variety of U.S.-made tanks, but attempts made to obtain the M60A1 Patton main battle tanks (MBTs) in the 1970s ended in failure.

Always fearing that its neighbor to the north would launch an attack across the DMZ, South Korea took matters into its own hands and developed a domestically produced tank – the K1, which was based on the early designs of the American XM1 program that led to the development of the M1 Abrams. The new South Korean-made tank entered service in the late 1980s and it has been steadily improved, with the K1A2 entering service in 2013.

However, Seoul has moved forward with an entirely new design: the K2 Black Panther, a next-generation MBT developed by the South Korean Agency for Defense Development and manufactured by Hyundai Rotem. The K2 was meant to complement – rather than replace – the K1 series that is currently fielded by the South Korean military.

The K2 was developed utilizing indigenous technology only, and the first prototype was unveiled in 2007, while production commenced for the first 100 K2 tanks in 2014. It is considered one of the most advanced MBTs in the world, outclassing any tanks in service with North Korea or even China.

It relies on both an undisclosed modular composite armor and Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) blocks, and according to reports can withstand direct hits to the front from a 120mm tank round. In addition, the K2 also is equipped with an active protection system as well as countermeasure systems that include NBC (nuclear-biological-chemical) protection.
It is a Heavy Hitter

The K2 Black Panther MBT has a crew of three including a commander, gunner, and driver. The MBT's main armament is a Rheinmetall 120mm L/55 smoothbore gun, produced under license in South Korea and equipped with a domestically-designed automatic loader – which can ensure the loading of projectiles on the move including when on uneven surfaces. The 120mm gun can reportedly fire approximately 10 to 15 rounds per minute. It can be used with a variety of munitions and is compatible with all standard NATO tank rounds. The 120mm L/55 gun is also capable of firing the new KSTAM (Korean Smart Top-Attack Munition) rounds – smart target-activated fire-and-forget projectiles.


Secondary armament of the Black Panther includes a 12.7mm heavy machine gun and a 7.62mm machine gun.

South Korea's next-generation tank is equipped with domestically-developed auto auto-target detection and tracking system, which incorporates a hunter-killer function. The tank also features an electric gun and turret driving system (28-260VDC) provided by Doosan Corporation Mottrol. In addition, the gunner's primary sight (GPS) and commander's panoramic sight (CPS) are stabilized in two axes, and include a thermal imager and laser rangefinder enabling day/night observation.
K2 Suspension System

While not as speedy as its namesake, the Black Panther can still hunt down its slower-moving prey thanks to its license-built MTU MB 883 Ka501 diesel engine, which produces 1,500 horsepower. It can reach a top speed of 43 mph on the road, and 31 mph cross country. There is also an auxiliary gas turbine power unit, offering 400 horsepower.

The tank also is equipped with a unique suspension system, which can be contorted into a variety of positions. For cross-country performance, the suspension is raised, providing the K2 greater ground clearance, while on roads, the suspension is lowered, hugging the ground for better speed. In addition, the K2 can "lean," "sit" or "kneel" to provide the main gun better maneuverability in hull-down positions. When leaning backward, the K2 can raise its main gun to target low-flying aircraft or to better target more highly elevated targets on the Korean Peninsula's hilly terrain. The K2 even can lean to the left or the right, which improves maneuverability when driving along slopes.

Exporting the K2 Black Panther

Even though Seoul is currently adopting the tank for its domestic use, the tank has caught the eye of foreign buyers, including the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA), which announced that it would put the K2 up against the German-made Leopard 2A7 in tests to determine Norway's next MBT.

Last December, Cairo also announced that it was in negotiations with South Korea to co-produce a version of the Black Panther for use by the Egyptian Army. Trade between Egypt and South Korea has increased in recent years and reached nearly $2 billion in 2020 in engineering and electrical goods, furniture, clothes, chemical products, fertilizers, and medical industries. Seoul has also invested some $570 million into 181 projects in Egypt, including construction, information technology, tourism, and agriculture. Now Cairo is looking to Seoul for military hardware and that will likely include the K2 Black Panther.

However, the biggest foreign buyer of the South Korean MBT has been Poland.

In December 2022, the first batch of K2 Black Panther MBTs and K9A1 Thunder self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) arrived at the Polish port city of Gdynia.

Polish President Andrzej Duda was joined by Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak at an official ceremony that marked the arrival of the military hardware. While taking delivery, the Polish leader hailed the swift implementation of a $5.8 billion deal that had only been signed last summer. Per the terms of the deal, South Korean-based Hyundai Rotem will supply Poland with 180 K2 MBTs by 2025 – and the delivery will also include a training/logistics package along with ammunition for the tanks.

During the second stage of the framework agreement, Warsaw is expected to receive 820 K2PL tanks, which will be manufactured within a framework of the Polish-Korean industrial cooperation, while a broad transfer of technologies is expected to occur. South Korea has become an Asian arms powerhouse, and Poland has become one of its best customers.

As The Diplomat reported in April 2023, the K2 Black Panther's introduction to Europe could be seen as a potential game changer for the balance of power on the ground in Europe and one that has potentially serious implications for Russian security. It also highlights how South Korea is slowly transforming into a global arms exporter – offering truly one of the best tanks in service today.

Author Experience and Expertise
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for PERMANENT ARMS ECONOMY 

China Fires Top Official to Stem Games Fallout, Reuters Says

Zheping Huang and Jeanny Yu
Tue, 2 January 2024 


(Bloomberg) -- Signs are growing that China is trying to contain the damage from harsh new gaming regulations that triggered an $80 billion rout in Tencent Holdings Ltd. and its peers.

Feng Shixin lost his job as head of the publishing unit at China’s Publicity Department, which runs the country’s gaming regulator, Reuters reported, citing sources briefed on the matter. The South China Morning Post also reported on Feng’s departure, but said the official stepped down. His exit was linked to the release of draft gaming rules days before Christmas that shocked investors and industry participants.

The National Press and Publication Administration — the gaming watchdog — has since softened its tone, approving 105 games and pledging to review its more controversial mandates including an unquantified cap on in-game spending. Feng’s removal would add to evidence that senior Chinese leaders are becoming more sensitive to the concerns of investors after largely ignoring them during the Big Tech crackdown of 2021, even though worries about policy volatility persist.

Tencent and smaller rival NetEase Inc. gained about 1% in Hong Kong Wednesday, extending a recovery since officials began signaling a willingness to consider industry views. The WeChat operator remains down about 4% since the proposed rules emerged on Dec. 22.

The official’s removal “shows Beijing has become more concerned about economic sentiment after the post-Covid rebound proved much weaker than expected, and huge capital outflows from the equities market,” said Steven Leung, executive director at UOB Kay Hian. It “will reduce the chance of further panic selling on the sector but may not attract new liquidity buying, because the change in such a short period of time means policies remain uncertain.”

Calls to the State Council Information Office, which handles media queries for the Chinese government, went unanswered.

Read More: Tencent Leads $80 Billion Rout as China Rekindles Crackdown Fear

What Bloomberg Intelligence Says

Confidence in the outlook for Tencent and NetEase may rebound further after the South China Morning Post reports, quoting unnamed sources, that a key official involved in overseeing China’s video-gaming industry has stepped down. Sentiment was hit by the share-price “flash crash” of Dec. 22 but the recent more conciliatory tone from China’s National Press and Publication Administration supports our view the basic outlook for Tencent’s games business is largely unchanged, as rising regulatory oversight isn’t new.

- Robert Lea, analyst

Click here for the research.

Feng has represented his agency at events organized to discuss regulatory efforts, including in areas such as licensing and real-name verification, according to state media reports.

His removal may not have been enough to reverse sentiment in a market on edge over regulators’ intentions for the tech sector and an uncertain economy.

The sweeping gaming restrictions, which caught industry players and investors off guard on the final trading day before Christmas, reminded many of the brutal tech-sector crackdown of 2021. That year, Beijing abruptly imposed curbs on a host of tech-related sectors, reining in Jack Ma-backed Ant Group Co. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. while decimating the online education industry by declaring profits illegal.

Apart from the timing, investors and industry executives reacted poorly to the vagueness of the draft rules, which encompassed caps on the amount each player can spend within a game, a ban on rewards for frequent log-ins and forced player-duels, even a prohibition on content that violates national security.

The plethora of restrictions came at the tail end of a year during which Beijing had signaled a willingness to ease off. Officials in past months had encouraged esports as an engine for the post-Covid economy. Xi Jinping himself attended the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, which featured professional gaming among the medals up for grabs for the first time.

In December 2022, Tencent secured a green-light for a clutch of major releases including Valorant and Pokémon Unite — a milestone that reinforced hopes China was easing its two-year crackdown.

“If the story is accurate, it will send a signal that what happened was not a reversal of policy direction to more tightening in the mobile and online gaming industry and may give investors some relief on policy stability and certainty,” said Redmond Wong, a market strategist at Saxo Capital Markets in Hong Kong. “But overall, investors are still skeptical. The news is positive but is not big enough to move the needle or the big picture.”

(Updates with details from the SCMP’s report in the second paragraph)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

WITNESS A WAR CRIME

Israeli snipers target civilians on Al-Remal Street in Gaza City

A distressing video from Al-Remal Street in Gaza City captures a shocking moment where Israeli snipers are reported to have targeted civilians. The footage vividly shows the aftermath, with bodies visible on the street and urgent cries emphasising that children are among the victims.

January 3, 2024

SOMEBODY WORSE OFF THAN BIDEN
Only 15% of Israelis want Netanyahu to keep job after Gaza war, poll finds

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, Israel, Dec 31, 2023.

PHOTO: Abir Sultan/Pool via Reuters file

PUBLISHED ONJANUARY 02, 2024 

JERUSALEM — Only 15 per cent of Israelis want Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stay in office after the war on Hamas in Gaza ends, though many more still support his strategy of crushing the militants in the Palestinian enclave, according to a poll published on Tuesday (Jan 2).

Netanyahu promised to crush Hamas after its Oct 7 rampage in southern Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and 240 abducted to Gaza. Israeli forces have laid much of Gaza to waste in their nearly three-month retalitory offensive.

Netanyahu has said such intense military pressure is also vital to ensure that the remaining 129 hostages still held in Gaza are returned after around 100 were freed in late November in a swap deal also involving hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

In the poll conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI), 56 per cent of those questioned said continuing the military offensive was the best way to recover the hostages, while 24 per cent thought a swap deal including the release of thousands more Palestinian prisoners from Israel's jails would be best.

More than 22,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza health officials, and most of the population displaced. Israel says it has killed some 8,000 Palestinian fighters and has vowed to hunt down Hamas leaders.

But a mere 15 per cent want Netanyahu to be prime minister once the war is over, the poll showed. His political rival and present war cabinet partner, centrist Benny Gantz, garnered support from 23 per cent of interviewees. Around 30 per cent named no preferred leader.

The poll was conducted among 746 respondents between Dec 25 to 28, with a 95 per cent confidence level, the IDI said. A previous IDI poll in December found that 69 per cent of Israelis thought that elections should be held as soon as the war ends.

Netanyahu said on Saturday it would be months before victory is achieved. Successive surveys have found his popularity has fallen sharply since the surprise October attack by Hamas that led to the deadliest day in Israel's 75 years.

F35 BOONDOGGLE

Former VP claims Turkey opted out of F-35 purchase due to multiple malfunctions

WHY THEY WANT THE F-16

December 29, 2023

Levent Kenez/Stockholm

In a statement made during a parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee meeting on Tuesday, Chairman Fuat Oktay, the former Turkish vice president, claimed that Turkey had decided on its own against the acquisition of F-35 fighter jets.

Oktay said both the Ministry of Defense and the chief of general staff had expressed their disinclination to acquire the F-35s long before. He highlighted the stance of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the government, advocating for the purchase of the F-16 Block 60, 4.5 generation of the aircraft, deeming it a more suitable option.

In 2021 the US administration officially removed Turkey from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program due to Ankara’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system in 2017.

According to Oktay, the declining appeal of the F-35 was attributed to a series of accidents and technical deficiencies, leading to a loss of attraction for the aircraft. Oktay clarified that Turkey’s reversion to the F-16 was not due to an inability to procure the F-35s but rather to the lack of significant interest in the F-35.

Oktay further emphasized the positive outcome following the S-400 crisis with the US, indicating that it had impacted Turkey’s strategic decision-making, resulting in a favorable outcome regarding the F-35 aircraft.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had previously announced that Turkey paid $1.25 billion to participate in the F-35 program. Part of the supply chain for F-35 production, Turkey was expected to generate $9 billion in revenue. Additionally, the six F-35 aircraft produced for Turkey were not delivered by the United States. Turkey paid approximately $2.5 billion to Moscow for the first batch of S-400s. Experts estimate that Turkey has incurred a loss of $13 billion so far, considering the inactive status of the S-400 system.

Turkey seeks to redirect funds initially allocated for the F-35 program towards the purchase of new F-16 fighter jets. The US expects Turkey to quickly approve Sweden’s NATO membership to facilitate the F-16 sale, adding further complexity to the negotiations. It is as of yet uncertain whether the US Congress will approve the sale.

Russia sent two S-400 batteries and more than 120 long-range missiles as part of the agreement along with experts to train Turkish soldiers on how to operate them. The second batch has yet to be delivered.
The US has repeatedly warned Turkey that activating the S-400 missiles or buying a second batch would trigger heavier sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). On December 14, 2020, the US imposed sanctions on Turkey’s Presidency of the Defense Industry (Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığı, SSB) and certain of its principal officers over the S-400 procurement.

On June 20, 2018 a ceremony took place at the Lockheed Martin facilities in Texas to mark the delivery of the first aircraft as part of the F-35 project, in which Turkey was a program partner. At the ceremony the then-head of the Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (later renamed the Presidency of the Defense Industry, SSB), Serdar Demirel, representing the government, said participation in the F-35 project was an honor for Turkey. The aircraft was expected to be brought to Turkey in 2019 following the completion of pilot training

.

Serdar Demirel

Oktay left unanswered the question as to why the option of international arbitration wasn’t considered for the delivery of F-35s produced and paid for by Turkey, as raised by opposition lawmakers in the committee meeting. He said Turkey’s domestically produced KAAN aircraft would be more advanced than the F-35.

Initially unveiled to the public during Erdogan’s re-election campaign in May, KAAN underwent a taxiing test on the runway, marking its introduction. However, the opposition criticized this display, labeling it a political maneuver to solicit support during the election. They contended that showcasing a non-flying aircraft was unnecessary and alleged that the KAAN project was not progressing as quickly as portrayed by the government. Financial challenges were also raised as concerns by the opposition.

Snapshot from the ceremony marking the delivery of the first F-35 to Turkey in 2018.

TAI KAAN, also referred to as the TF (Turkish Fighter) — Milli Muharip Uçak [National Combat Aircraft] in Turkish, or MMU — is an advanced, twin-engine, stealth, all-weather air superiority fighter currently in development by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). British BAE Systems operates as a subcontractor for this ambitious project. Its main objectives include replacing the aging F-16 aircraft in service with the Turkish Air Force and potentially being available for export to other nations.

The initial delivery of the KAAN to the Turkish Air Force is slated for 2028, while the quest for a suitable engine is ongoing. Presently, the prototypes are equipped with American-made F110 engines, planned for the initial production of the first 20-25 units of KAAN.

At present, two companies have shown interest in producing a specialized engine for KAAN. British company Rolls-Royce has collaborated with Turkey’s Kale Group to enter the competition. Simultaneously, Ukrainian company Ivchenko Progress has also submitted a proposal for the aircraft engine.

In a media statement in May, TAI President Temel Kotil outlined plans to deliver 20 units of KAAN Block-10 aircraft to the Turkish Air Force by the year 2028.

Minutes of the committee meting on December 26, 2023.

The first test flight of KAAN was scheduled for December 27, but due to the preparations and several tests not being completed on time, this flight has been postponed to a later date. Experts predict that there will also be delays in the delivery of the aircraft to the Turkish Air Force.

Meanwhile, Oktay has been alleged to have received $50 million in bribes from a criminal organization to prevent the government from seizing its assets in the country. These allegations surfaced from recordings made public by prominent investigative journalist Cevheri Güven, who featured a former insider currently incarcerated for the group leader’s murder. Oktay denies the allegations and accused Güven of being a terrorist. The Turkish government commonly accuses critical journalists of being terrorists and the puppets of foreign countries.