President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan revealed Turkey’s new domestically developed general-purpose helicopter, named Gökbey, at the Turkish Defense Industry Summit held at the Beştepe Presidential Palace Complex in capital Ankara.
T625 is a multi-purpose helicopter currently being developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the Turkish Armed Forces, as part of the Turkish Original Helicopter Programme.
DESIGNED FOR BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
The multi-purpose helicopter program — which is also known as the Original Helicopter Program and envisioned to meet the needs of the Turkish Air Force and other security institutions — was launched by the Defense Industry Executive Committee in June 2010.
In 2013, TAI and the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense Industries signed a contract for the production of T625 helicopters.
According to the producer, the helicopter will serve multiple services including cargo, VIP transportation, ambulance, and off-shore search and rescue operations.
It has a capacity of carrying 14 passengers including two pilots at a time. “The aircraft incorporates several new technology features to provide the highest levels of safety and operational benefits for operators,” according to TAI.
