TAI: Türkiye's powerhouse in the fight against terrorism

The achievements of the Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) in contributing to the Turkish defense sector made it a natural target for terrorists who suffered losses in counterterrorism operations. Four out of five people killed by PKK terrorists in an attack on the TAI headquarters in the capital Ankara on Wednesday were employees of the company behind many significant projects.

These projects include the national fighter aircraft KAAN, which helped make the country one of the few countries capable of producing fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

Founded in 1973, TAI is responsible for the design, production and modernization of the aircraft required by Türkiye, as well as export activities. The air platforms manufactured under the company's coordination, such as the T129 ATAK attack and tactical reconnaissance helicopter, the T70 multi-purpose helicopter and the ANKA and Aksungur unmanned aerial vehicles, serve the security forces.

Products such as the Hürkuş Basic Trainer Aircraft, the HURJET Trainer and Light Attack Aircraft and the Gökbey General Purpose Helicopter are eagerly waiting to be added to the inventory, while testing for the ANKA III unmanned combat aircraft is intensively underway.

Hürjet completed its first supersonic flight on Monday. Equipped with a single-engine tandem cockpit and an advanced avionics suite, the Hürjet is expected to play a crucial role in the Turkish Air Force Command's inventory, leveraging its superior performance characteristics. The TAI launched the project in August 2017 with a model displayed at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. The Hürjet project was undertaken to replace the Turkish Army's T-38 aircraft used in training and the F-5 aircraft used in aerobatic team flights and to meet the needs of potential international customers. The aircraft made its first flight in April last year. Hürjet is 13.4 meters (43 feet) long, has a wingspan of 9.5 meters and a height of 5.1 meters. The advanced jet's maximum altitude is set at 45,000 feet (13.7 kilometers), along with its payload of 2,721 kilograms (6,000 pounds) and a top speed of Mach 1.4. Recent media reports hinted at Spain's interest in Hürjet, noting that advanced discussions were reportedly underway about a possible aircraft swap. The aircraft was also unveiled at the Egypt International Airshow last month.

One of the most important projects is KAAN, which is currently under construction and represents a significant milestone in Türkiye's aviation history. With the KAAN project, the country is taking a big step towards becoming one of the few countries capable of designing and producing combat aircraft. KAAN will make Türkiye one of the few in the world capable of producing fifth-generation aircraft. The project aims to strengthen Türkiye's independence in the defense industry and reduce dependence on foreign countries. KAAN is expected to enter the Turkish Air Force inventory by 2028. KAAN completed its second flight last May. The fighter jet made its debut on the runway and completed its first taxi test after starting its engines for the first time in mid-March last year. The goal is to replace the Air Force command's aging F-16 fleet, which will be phased out beginning in the 2030s. KAAN will initially be powered by two General Electric F-110 engines, which are also used on fourth-generation Lockheed Martin F-16 jets.

Türkiye intends to use domestically manufactured engines for the jet's serial production, which is expected to begin in 2028. The aircraft will be able to conduct air-to-air combat with new generation weapons and carry out precision strikes from internal weapons bays at supersonic speeds. and will also ensure increased combat effectiveness with artificial intelligence and the support of neural networks.

Aksungur, a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned combat aircraft (UCAV), is another highlight of TAI's achievements. After beginning its first mission in the second quarter of 2021, the Aksungur became part of the Turkish Naval Forces Command in October of the same year. While the number of Aksungur model UCAVs in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has increased, their exports are also increasing. It was shipped to three countries, and intensive negotiations are underway with several others. The Aksungur reached its final form with the integration of the TEI-PD170 turbodiesel aircraft engine developed by the Turkish joint venture TAI Engine Industry (TEI). During performance testing, the UCAV achieved 41 hours with the engine installed, setting a flight record.

TAI has also achieved considerable success worldwide. Most recently, the Su-25 aircraft in Azerbaijan's inventory were modernized and delivered to this country. The company was established by the government at a time when the Ministry of Industry and Technology was heavily dependent on imports for defense needs. In 1984, a corporate change occurred after Türkiye decided to prioritize F-16 fighter aircraft for its air force. TAI this year became a joint U.S.-Turkish investment company for jet production, but on the condition that the U.S. partnership would be limited to 25 years. In 2005, before this period ended, Turkish shareholders bought all of the company's foreign shares and TAI and TUSAŞ (as the company is called in Turkish), two separate entities, became one corporate entity: TUSAŞ. In the following decade it developed into a technology center for the development of aviation systems, their modernization, production and integration. TAI is divided into six groups for production and other services, including the Aviation Structurals Group, the Aircraft Group, the Helicopter Group, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Systems Group, the Space Systems Group, the National Combat Aircraft (NCA) Group and the engineering group.

The company released a statement on its website Thursday highlighting its “determination” despite the attack. “We are members of a nation that overcomes every challenge. We will overcome this attack and continue our work for the future of our country without interruption,” the statement said. “This attack targeted not only our company, but also our defense industry and our country. We extend our condolences to the families of our employees and to a citizen who died in the attack. We will continue to contribute to the national defense industry by keeping its memories alive,” the company said.

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