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Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has delivered the first T625 Gokbey utility helicopters to the country’s military police.
The handover of the first aircraft to the Jandarma on Oct. 29–Turkey’s national day–marks a milestone for the Turkish indigenous helicopter program, coming five years after the formal first flight of the aircraft in June 2019.
It is also the first delivery of a crewed indigenously developed aircraft to the Turkish customer from the manufacturer. A previous order for the Hurkus turboprop trainer was not completed, and those aircraft destined for Turkey were modified for other customers.
But TAI has previously delivered indigenous uncrewed platforms such as the Anka family of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and various license-built crewed aircraft such as the T129 ATAK attack helicopter and the T-70 Black Hawk.
The Gokbey is a 6-metric-ton, twin-engine medium helicopter in the class of Leonardo’s AW139 and Airbus’ H160 utility helicopter.
The aircraft has been designed primarily to replace the numerous Bell UH-1 Iroquois/Huey types still operating in the Turkish government’s inventory. But the company also wants to secure civilian certification and bring it to the international market.
Two more Gokbeys will be delivered before year’s end, and some 20 more T625s have been formally ordered for various Turkish government agencies. They will be delivered in 2025, including aircraft for the country’s army, air force, coast guard and security agencies.
Plans are in place for a further 57 helicopters for those organizations.
The country also plans to build an air ambulance service with the aircraft for the country’s Ministry of Health, which will see an additional 100 aircraft acquired. Deliveries will begin in early 2026.
“Today’s delivery of our Gokbey is not just a helicopter delivery, but also a step forward in Turkey’s defense industry,” said Haluk Gorgun, the head of Turkey’s Defense Industries Agency.
He added that national defense projects had now made “Turkey a brand in the [global] defense industry.”
Delivery comes just a week after an terror attack against the Ankara headquarters of TAI that killed five people and wounded 20. One of those killed, Zahide Güçlü Ekici, was reportedly a technician on the Gokbey program.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was present for the aircraft’s handover, said the helicopter program showed that Turkey was increasingly able to support its national defense needs.
“We no longer seek anyone’s permission when taking steps regarding our national security,” Erdogan said.
Turkey will need to rely on a U.S.-made engine for the T625 in the short-term, with the aircraft currently using the Honeywell/Rolls-Royce-developed LHTEC T800 engine, But TUSAS (Turkish for TAI) Engine Industries has a domestically developed alternative powerplant for the aircraft called TS1400 that is currently being tested. Following a first flight of Gokbey with the engine last year, TAI is hopeful to be able to offer the engine with the aircraft from 2028.
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