Editor-DN
After being kicked out of the F-35 program and left with a clear capability gap, Turkey has turned its fortunes around by dramatically expanding its aerospace industry.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Turkey was the world’s third largest arms importer. However, its dependence on foreign military imports has fallen significantly, from nearly 80 percent in 2004 to less than 20 percent today. In contrast, Turkey has emerged as a defense exporter, with its latest weapons being used with high levels of operational success on many battlefields.
However, it is worth noting that Turkey’s meteoric rise as an arms manufacturer and exporter is directly linked to the progress made by its domestic aerospace industry. From developing fifth-generation fighters to light trainers and stealth drones, Ankara has firmly established itself as a reliable aerospace power.
Recently, the Turkish Aerospace (TA) Hürkus-II advanced turboprop trainer aircraft made its maiden flight on December 30. The twin-seater aircraft, which is already inducted into the Turkish Air Force, achieved the milestone at TA’s production facility near Ankara. Hürkus-II flew for 20 minutes and reached 6,500 feet..
The Hürkus-II is reportedly the latest version of Turkey’s turboprop trainer aircraft, following the civil, military trainer and armed versions of the Hürkus. In principal trainer duty, the Hürkus-B has already been deployed by the Turkish Air Force to replace the SIAI-Marchetti SF260. At least 55 Hürkus-IIs will add to Turkey’s military trainer fleet, as recently reported by Jens.
While details about this new aircraft are currently scarce, several other aerospace developments in Turkey warrant attention. For example, Turkey’s Baykar, which has emerged as the face of its aerospace and defense industries, has acquired Piaggio Aerospace, an Italian aerospace company with more than a century of history.
In one statement Published on December 30, the Turkish drone maker said: “Baykar, the world’s largest UCAV company, beats rivals from several countries in a competitive tender for the sale of Piaggio Aerospace, founded in 1884. was.”
Analysts believe the acquisition is significant as it will give the company access to European markets. In 2004, Pratt & Whitney America selected Piaggio Aerospace to manufacture and supply F-135 engine components for the F-35 stealth aircraft.
something Media outlets suggesting that Turkey may be able to re-enter the F-35 supplier program with the acquisition of Piaggio. However, such assessments can be far-fetched.
Nevertheless, Turkey’s concerted efforts to promote localization and research and development in aerospace have certainly paid off. As before Noted by Veteran journalist Prakash Nanda wrote in an article for the EurAsian Times, “The rapid growth of Turkey’s defense industries and the growing global acceptance of their products have resulted in a number of side benefits, such as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “The stability of the government without any fear of the military. Ankara is pursuing a military foreign policy in its neighborhood, and the country is managing a flexible geopolitical alliance.”
Turkey’s meteoric rise as an aerospace power
One of the biggest milestones Turkey has achieved in recent times is indigenously developing its fifth generation stealth aircraft – the KAAN.
The twin-engine multi-role/airworthiness fighter, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), made its maiden flight in February and is expected to enter service in the early 2030s, giving Turkey the has joined a small group of countries that have developed a fifth domestically. Race fighter.
The aircraft is intended to replace Turkey’s F-16s and is also planned for export. In fact, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring the aircraft with more potential customers in the future.
Even if the KAAN does not match the capabilities of the US F-35 Lightning II, it provides a cost-effective alternative for countries that are likely to acquire the F-35 from the US due to strict export requirements. is not
The development of the KAAN has been heralded as a turning point for Turkey, especially after it was kicked out of the US F-35 Lightning II consortium to purchase the Russian S-400 air defense system. For years, Turkey has struggled to acquire advanced fifth-generation jets and modernize its aging F-16 fleet as the United States dragged its feet on approving the sale. KAAN, thus, is going to be a game changer.
The next major milestone that needs special attention is the Hurjet trainer, Turkey’s first indigenously built supersonic jet, which made its maiden flight in April 2024.
The aircraft developed by TAI is still in its development phase and has not yet entered serial production. However, reports suggest that production will likely begin in 2025, with first deliveries by 2025-2026.
The aircraft, often compared to the American T-7 Red Hawk trainer aircraft, earned its first honor. Export contract After a failed attempt to export Harjet light combat aircraft to Malaysia earlier this month.
The Hurjet can reach a maximum speed of about Mach 1.4 and has a service range of 45,000 feet. The aircraft is equipped with advanced avionics and is designed for armed reconnaissance missions, light strikes, training flights and close air support.
Turkey has also established itself as a world leader in drone technology. Turkish firm Baykar has developed some of the most advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the modern era — the TB2, TB3, Akinci and Kizilelma.
TB-2, for one, has been hailed as a success story. The drone has been sold to nearly two dozen countries (most recently to Kenya, according to reports on social media on December 31) and has shown exceptional combat success in several combat zones, including Armenia in 2020. and including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan, where he tilted the war in favor of the latter.
Notably, this drone also featured prominently during the Russia-Ukraine war. These drones quickly went on to score some spectacular military victories for Ukraine. Several claims and videos show Ukraine using these drones to attack Russian patrol boats, tanks and tanks.
The company also developed the TB-3, a carrier-grade version of the Bayraktar TB2 drone, which is bigger and better than the TB2. With foldable wings and the ability to take off from a short runway, the TB3 is set to become the first combat drone in history capable of launching and landing on a short runway like TCG Anadolu.
The TB3 UCAV is capable of intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance, and attack missions using smart weapons mounted under its wings. The TB3 entered the flight testing phase last year and performed impressively. 32 hour flight During a test in December, Bayraktar set a new record for class UAVs.
Another UAV that gained popularity recently. Bayraktar Akinci. Named after the Turkish word for ‘rider’, the Bayraktar Akinci is a high-altitude, long-endurance drone that can be armed with weapons.
This drone is equipped with different types of air-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles. According to Baykar, the drone can perform maneuvers similar to fighter jets and carry a range of payloads. Additionally, Akıncı can hit targets on the ground and in the air. It can also fly higher and stay in the air longer than Turkey’s existing drone fleet.
Akinci recently stunned the world when it test-fired the supersonic missile UAV-122. Thus, it further demonstrated its combat potential as drones become a major focus of combat.
Akinchi also assisted in search and rescue efforts after an Iranian helicopter carrying former president Ibrahim Raisi crashed in May 2024. Akinci has already bought Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Libya, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Mali. Moreover, at least two countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan, have shown interest in drones.
Besides thatTurkey has made a major breakthrough in developing unmanned aerial vehicles. With two special mentions.
One of them is the Anka-3, the first flying-wing, deep-strike drone developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries. Anka-3 is a medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for long-endurance surveillance missions.
With an impressive endurance of up to 30 hours, the drone can operate at an altitude of 30,000 feet and cover a distance of 250 km. The TAI Anka-3 stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) prototype made its first flight on December 28, 2023.
The Anka-3 is a revolutionary UAV because it is about the same size as a light fighter jet, and its low-observability features are intended to make it capable of combating combat missions such as electronic warfare, strike, surveillance, and suppression and destruction. Be flexible enough. of enemy air defenses. This unmanned aircraft will likely be accompanied by KAAN.
Another unmanned aircraft that puts Turkey as a world leader in this area is the Kızılılma or National Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle System (MIUS). Developed by Baykar, the Kizilelma is an unmanned combat aircraft that is expected to perform a wide range of military operations, including close air support (CAS), missile strikes, anti-enemy air defense (SEAD). suppress, and destroy enemy air defenses (dead).
Turkey’s Kizililma unmanned aircraft will fly for five hours and travel at a speed of 800 kilometers per hour or Mach 0.64. With a maximum take-off weight of 6 tonnes, the drone is planned to have a payload capacity of 1,500 kg. According to the manufacturer, a supersonic aircraft variant will also be developed. According to reports, this aircraft will likely fly with KAAN as a loyal wingman.
Many of the above aircraft are still in the development stage and are yet to enter production. However, they represent giant leaps taken by Turkey that have positioned Ankara as an aerospace behemoth.
