Türkiye's TEI set to deliver homegrown engines for Gokbey, Kizilelma

TEI General Manager Mahmut Faruk Aksit told Anadolu on Wednesday that the Turkish Aerospace Industries subsidiary has manufactured mass-production units of the TEI-TS1400 turboshaft engine for the Gokbey helicopter and completed operational tests on the TEI-TF6000 jet engine for Baykar's Kizilelma unmanned fighter, with deliveries scheduled to begin by year-end.

Helicopter and UAV propulsion milestones

Speaking on the sidelines of TEKNOFEST Southeast in Sanliurfa, Aksit said the TEI-TS1400 engine has reached flight maturity. "The next certification phase will allow the Gokbey to be equipped with the homegrown engine and enter mass production for customers and military inventories -- it takes time and we need to go through many tests, as currently some eight different engines are being subjected to parallel testing," he said.

He said the TEI-TF6000 jet propulsion engine has also completed operational tests and reached flight readiness, with delivery to Baykar planned by the end of this year or early next year. TEI also aims to have its more powerful TEI-TF10000 engine fully operational before the end of next year following this delivery, he added.

Workforce expansion and restructuring

Aksit noted that the firm had expanded its engineering and research and development capabilities from roughly 80 personnel a decade ago to nearly 1,300 engineers today, while its total engineering workforce is approaching 2,000. The organization has recently restructured and spun off a dedicated entity, TEITECH, a state-owned division that will lead the development of strategic military assets, including engines for Türkiye's national fighter aircraft project and heavy-class helicopters.

Export contracts and operational records

Aksit said TEI continues to work on existing export contracts with an undisclosed but technologically advanced country, while beginning sales talks with a second foreign customer. He noted that the firm’s diesel aviation engines are currently used by UAVs including the Bayraktar TB3, Aksungur and Anka platforms.

TEI’s unmanned propulsion systems recently reached a cumulative milestone of 20,000 operational flight hours, while the firm delivered more than 100 drone engines this year. Anadolu serves as the global communications partner for TEKNOFEST, which opened its southeastern leg in Sanliurfa on Wednesday and runs through Oct. 14, drawing thousands of technology enthusiasts and young investors.