Türkiye delivers first domestically developed Gökbey helicopter, marks further aviation milestones

The first T625 Gökbey domestically developed helicopter was delivered to the Turkish Gendarmerie on 29 October. (Turkish Aerospace)

Turkish Aerospace delivered its first T625 Gökbey domestically developed helicopter on 29 October.

The event that was timed to coincide with the 101st anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Türkiye saw the Turkish Gendarmerie receive the first twin-engine medium-utility helicopter about 11 years after the programme was launched in 2013.

The CEO of Turkish Aerospace, Mehmet Demiroğlu, told Janes that two further helicopters will be delivered before the end of 2024. The T625 was developed to replace variants of the Bell 212 and Bell 205 in service with the Turkish Armed Forces and para-public organisations.

Speaking at the Saha Expo International Defence and Aerospace Exhibition held in Istanbul between 22 and 26 October, Demiroğlu shared updates on Turkish Aerospace's ongoing projects besides the Gökbey. He noted that the first prototype of the Hürjet advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft recently reached Mach 1.1, marking its first supersonic flight on 22 October. On the same day, the engine of the second Hürjet prototype was started ahead of its imminent first flight.

Also on 22 October the Aselsan-produced Tolun GPS/inertial navigation system (INS)-guided munition was launched from the Anka 3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), successfully hitting its target. According to Demiroğlu, the Anka 3 will soon test the Tolun again, this time carrying it in its internal weapons bay to enhance the airframe's stealth characteristics.

Demiroğlu also said that two additional Kaan combat aircraft prototypes are currently under assembly, to be flown in late 2025. Turkish Aerospace is additionally developing a 10 ton-class helicopter, targeting a first flight in 2026.