T625 Gokbey multi-purpose helicopter enters Türkiye’s inventory

The T625 Gokbey multi-purpose helicopter, designed and developed by Turkish engineers at Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), will be officially delivered to the Gendarmerie General Command in a ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

This will mark a significant milestone in Türkiye’s indigenous defense industry, with the Gokbey set to replace aging U.S.-made UH-1 helicopters in the Turkish Armed Forces and gendarmerie fleets.

Türkiye’s indigenous helicopter enters service

Developed under the Indigenous Helicopter Program, the Gokbey helicopter has been designed to perform a wide array of missions, including transport, search and rescue, air ambulance, and VIP transport.

The delivery of the first three Gokbey helicopters follows successful test flights, including a critical test flight in April 2023, powered by TAI Engine Industries’ (TEI) TS1400 Turboshaft engines, which were also developed using domestic capabilities.

President Erdogan to attend ceremony at TAI facility

The helicopter’s official induction will take place at TAI’s facilities in Kahramankazan, Ankara, where President Erdogan will deliver a speech highlighting the resilience of Türkiye’s defense sector, despite recent terrorist attacks aimed at halting progress.

He will emphasize that such attacks would not deter Türkiye’s advancements in defense and aerospace.

Honoring fallen engineer

The ceremony will also honor Zahide Guclu Ekici, a TAI engineer who was killed in a recent terrorist attack claimed by the PKK/YPG terrorist group.

Ekici had played an active role in the production of the Gokbey helicopter, and her contributions were acknowledged during the event.