TOMTAŞ takes flight again: Reviving Türkiye's historic aircraft factory with ambitious aerospace vision

TOMTAŞ, Türkiye's inaugural aircraft factory founded in 1926, has been rejuvenated through a joint venture agreement involving ASFAT, TUSAŞ, and Erciyes Teknopark. Backed by a substantial $200 million investment, the project is poised to generate 2,000 skilled job opportunities in the defense sector.

The Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality Council has granted TOMTAŞ approximately 800 acres of land to establish an advanced aviation ecosystem. The ambitious facility will encompass cutting-edge features such as hangars, R&D centers, testing laboratories, wind turbines, and simulation facilities, supplemented by test-flight suitable runways and a comprehensive campus. This initiative aims to cater to a wide spectrum of critical fields, spanning from aircraft manufacturing, maintenance, and flight training programs to subunit assembly, retrofitting, and the production of domestic platforms.

TOMTAŞ Investment Chairman, Ali Ekşi, expressed his profound enthusiasm, citing the collaboration between world-renowned aviation companies and local business leaders. Aligning seamlessly with Türkiye's Centennial Vision, the project aspires to create a robust aviation and aerospace technology hub.

In line with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ambitious $6 billion defense industry export target for Türkiye, Ali Ekşi pledges unwavering support to surmount challenges collectively. Emphasizing innovation, strategic partnerships, and industry needs, TOMTAŞ seeks to foster a competitive edge while avoiding unnecessary rivalry.

An investment fund will be established to encourage citizen participation through innovative means. With machinery for the initial phase of production infrastructure already in place, trial production is scheduled to commence in September, marking a significant milestone in TOMTAŞ's journey towards becoming a formidable initiative in the global defense industry.