Turkey Completes Predesign of Indigenous Helo | Defense News | defensenews.com
ANKARA — Turkey’s national aerospace company, Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), has completed critical predesign work for what will become the country’s first indigenous utility helicopter, company officials said.
The 5-ton, twin-engine, light helicopter will start flight tests in five years and should win its civilian aviation certificate in six years, the officials said. Its military version likely will have its aviation certificate in seven-and-a-half years, they said.
Muharrem Dortkasli, TAI’s general manager, says the helicopter will be in the Turkish inventory by 2023, the Turkish republic’s centennial. “We expect considerable [foreign] demand for our helicopter,” he said.
The Turkish government last year signed a contract with TAI for the design, development and manufacturing of the helicopter. A TAI official said the helicopter is intended to replace Turkey’s aging UH-1s, but it also could be used to meet helicopter training needs of the Army.
Turkey could eventually buy more than 800 helicopters and with exports final sales numbers could reach about 1,200.
TAI also is the prime local contractor of a $3.5 billion program under which Sikorsky will co-produce 109 utility helicopters for the Turkish military. Turkey intends to use know-how and technology transfers from the Sikorsky-led program in its indigenous helicopter effort..
Turkey in 2011 selected Sikorsky Aircraft as its partner company to lead production of the country’s next-generation utility helicopters. Sikorsky defeated Italian-British AgustaWestland with its T-70, the Turkish version of its S-70 Black Hawk International.
First Turkish helicopter to cost $648 million - CİHAN
Turkey has reserved $648 million for research leading to the production of the country's first helicopter.
The helicopter will be produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI), and the project is being coordinated by the Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM). The first Turkish helicopter will be ready for use on Sept. 6, 2018. Every component of the helicopter will be produced in Turkey, except the motor, which will come from abroad. But later, a local motor, which will be developed with the help of Tusaş Engine Industries (TEI), will be used. The US company General Electric (GE) is among TEI's partner companies in the production of the motor.
The weight of the helicopter is planned to be 5 tons, and it will be used for civil and military purposes.
The helicopter will be certified by the European Aerospace Security Agency (EASA). Official talks on the certification have reportedly been started between the SSM and EASA.
The agreement to produce the first Turkish helicopter was signed on June 26, 2013. Sources who wished to remain anonymous have told Today's Zaman that the helicopter's design is planned to be completed by the end of 2016.
(Cihan/Today's Zaman)