TR Attack & Utility Helicopter Programs

[boredaf]

For a country the size of ours we need at least 300 T-70 sized helicopters,we only have around 120 isch(dont know exactly).
The Bell's are obsolete.
At least 50 more Chinook sized Helicopters,we only 11 Chinooks and 10 or so Mil 17's(old).

I am really curious why aren't we trying to get into more partnerships with Agusta Westland like T129 while we wait for our own platforms to mature and get ready for production. Hell, they even have a tilt rotor we can possibly use on Anadolu and Trakya if we could get it.

 

[TR_123456]

I am really curious why aren't we trying to get into more partnerships with Agusta Westland like T129 while we wait for our own platforms to mature and get ready for production. Hell, they even have a tilt rotor we can possibly use on Anadolu and Trakya if we could get it.

What partnership would you suggest?
Which of our future projects would need a tilt rotor and did you think of the operational costs of a tilt rotor?

 

[boredaf]

What partnership would you suggest?
Which of our future projects would need a tilt rotor and did you think of the operational costs of a tilt rotor?

Tilt rotor was just something I like, that's not main reason I said partnership. Aw101 (Merlin) or AW189 could help us with our short term needs, if a deal could be reached of course.

 

[Huelague]

Or an

Tilt rotor was just something I like, that's not main reason I said partnership. Aw101 (Merlin) or AW189 could help us with our short term needs, if a deal could be reached of course.

Or a S-97 Raider like helicopter.

 

[TR_123456]

Tilt rotor was just something I like, that's not main reason I said partnership. Aw101 (Merlin) or AW189 could help us with our short term needs, if a deal could be reached of course.

We would have to buy them,finished products.

 

[boredaf]

We would have to buy them,finished products.

That could work as well, as you pointed out we need to renew our helicopters, but we could also try to get license to build it like we did with T129. Even if US made helicopters are the best, but out of our reach and ours are some time away (especially with our own engines) it might be better to think about alternatives like these instead of twiddling our thumbs until we are ready.

 

[Sanchez]

I am really curious why aren't we trying to get into more partnerships with Agusta Westland like T129 while we wait for our own platforms to mature and get ready for production. Hell, they even have a tilt rotor we can possibly use on Anadolu and Trakya if we could get it.

While it's not talked about much, I think guys at TAI and SSB over the years grown out of their relationship with the Italians, call it growing apart from each other after 15 years of marriage. And army guys are the most conservative people I know. We have no direct need for any tiltrotor or compound(Raider) design, we operate in a far smaller region where greater range and high speed are not absolute priorities like it is for US. They bring a lot to the table yes, but there are many, many disadvantages brought forward with these capability increases.

I do wish after a decade that we had chosen T149 over T70 in the TUHP tender, Gökbey would arrive 5 years earlier then. That and what followed are the results of conservative thinking in the army.

Navy and the army still do need heavy lift helicopters. I do think we might see a buy of AW101s in the future. When money is available and no local equivalent exists army do buy from abroad like the AW119 sale. Tiny sale of 13+15 helicopters, going beautifully without any issues. Deliveries should be complete by next year.

 

[TR_123456]

That could work as well, as you pointed out we need to renew our helicopters, but we could also try to get license to build it like we did with T129. Even if US made helicopters are the best, but out of our reach and ours are some time away (especially with our own engines) it might be better to think about alternatives like these instead of twiddling our thumbs until we are ready.

If Meloni stays it could be an option,if not forget it.

 

[TR_123456]

And army guys are the most conservative people I know.

I had some conversations with some of the old gard,you are right they have weird conservative ideas and not just for the Armed Forces.

 

[Yasar_TR]

At the current state of affairs, the T70 contract has to be extended. We have too heavily invested in both on the engine side and the helicopter structure and avionic side, to jump ship to go for something else.

On the utility and heavy attack helicopter side, if we can get the licensed engine production contract going for the T700 engine’s CT7-8A7 version that develops 3000HP shaft power, then our problems are solved.

As I had already mentioned here before, once we extend the licence agreement we have with GE for the T-700 engine, we can ask their permission to change the engine version, as allowed by the licence agreement, and produce a 3000HP engine, that we can use in heavy attack helicopter and the general utility one; just like what we are doing with Gokbey and Honeywell 800 we use for the Atak . So TEI can carry on to produce a T-700 engine with 2000HP for the Blackhawks and at the same time they can produce an improved 3000HP version of the same engine.

A101 uses a RR engine that is actually produced mainly by French Safran , namely RTM322 Turbomecha.

 

[Strong AI]

The delivery process of our 3rd Gökbey, which will be part of the inventory of the Gendarmerie General Command, has been completed.
Ankara
January 10, 2025

 

[Sanchez]

after a final delay of 2 weeks, 3 T625s are indeed finally delivered to the gendarme. Better late than sorry. We still shouldn't forget that there were so many issues with this project. It wasn't rosy, it had a full on PR blunder, and missed the announced deadlines at least 7 times over 5 years. Those deadlines were set by people at the highest positions of the company very publicly. I do hope they learned their lessons now. İbrahim Sünnetçi's article from august was the closest and happy to see that it was mostly on point. So quoting the relevant sections again, as this seems to be the roadmap for immediate future.

"According to the information I have received, the acceptance of the first three serial production T625J GÖKBEY Helicopters has not been completed in time for August 30, as the ongoing Military Certification activities of GÖKBEY Helicopters have not yet been completed. However, pilots participating in the tests are very satisfied with GÖKBEY's performance. More than 95% of the Military Certification activities have been completed, and a significant part of the pilot training has been left behind, except for flying under night conditions. The official acceptance of the first 3 T625J GÖKBEY Light Utility Helicopters, which are produced in Military Configuration for the Gendarmerie Aviation Command and defined as Early Entry Helicopters (EDH), is targeted to be completed in the last quarter of 2024 (if there is no setback, the acceptance ceremony is expected to be held on October 29, 2024).

The video clearly shows the helicopters' military-style 10-passenger seat configuration (similar to the Sikorsky S-70/T-70). In addition, the necessary cabling equipment and provisions for the Missile Warning System (MWS) sensors, Counter Measure Launch System (CMDS) lancers, search light and rescue crane to be installed on the helicopters in the future have also been prepared. Some of the T625J GÖKBEY Helicopters with full autopilot capability will also be equipped with the ASELFLIR-R400D FLIR System.

The first 3 T625J Helicopters are powered by the LHTEC CTS800-4AT Turboshaft Engine, while the other 17 T625 Helicopters are planned to be powered by the TEI-TS1400 Turboshaft Engine. However, the qualification schedule for the TEI-TS1400 has not yet been finalized. If qualified, it will be used in 17 helicopters; if not, the LHTEC CTS800-4AT Turboshaft Engines previously supplied by TAI will continue to be used.

According to the information I have received, over 1,000 hours have been flown during the flight test campaign, and over 100 hours have been flown with the J6001 alone. In this context, the J6001 was also subjected to 'snow tests' in Erzurum last March.

Jandarma Havacılık Komutanlığı için üretilen İlk 3 Seri Üretim T625J GÖKBEY Hafif Genel Maksat Helikopteri ile Zafer Uçuşu

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanlığı Savunma Sanayii Başkanı Prof. Dr. Haluk GÖRGÜN, bugün (30 Ağustos 2024) sosyal medya hesaplarından paylaştığı videolu mesaj ile ‘GÖKBEY Zafer Uçuşunun” bugün TUSAŞ Tesislerinde başarıyla gerçekleştiğini duyurdu. Mesaj ile birlikte paylaşılan kısa video da...

www.defenceturkey.com

EDH enters back into our lexicon, which was probably the smart way of doing things. Resetting the clock for end of 2024 for delivery.

Hard part concluded, harder part starts now. We should build hundreds of T625s, hopefully soon with our own engines.

 

[Saithan]

after a final delay of 2 weeks, 3 T625s are indeed finally delivered to the gendarme. Better late than sorry. We still shouldn't forget that there were so many issues with this project. It wasn't rosy, it had a full on PR blunder, and missed the announced deadlines at least 7 times over 5 years. Those deadlines were set by people at the highest positions of the company very publicly. I do hope they learned their lessons now. İbrahim Sünnetçi's article from august was the closest and happy to see that it was mostly on point. So quoting the relevant sections again, as this seems to be the roadmap for immediate future.


Hard part concluded, harder part starts now. We should build hundreds of T625s, hopefully soon with our own engines.

we should build extra, like +50, and gift them to Azerbaycan.