Türkiye’s first GOKBEY helicopter crew completes training

The National Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that the first flight crew assigned to Türkiye’s domestically developed T-625 GOKBEY helicopter has successfully completed its training at Turkish Aerospace Industries facilities, clearing the way for the platform to enter Air Force service in October.

Historic training milestone

The ministry announced the milestone on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, stating that the crew had finished its initial flight training at TAI facilities. "Another historic step for our national aviation. The first flight crew for our domestically developed and nationally produced general-purpose helicopter, the T-625 GOKBEY, which is preparing to join the Air Force inventory in October, has successfully completed its training at TAI facilities," the ministry said. "The personnel who will bring this outstanding platform, a product of Turkish engineering, to the skies in the most effective manner have proudly completed the challenging familiarization process," it added.

Indigenous platform

The T-625 GOKBEY has been developed as a general-purpose rotorcraft to meet Turkish Air Force requirements, with Turkish Aerospace Industries serving as the prime contractor for the indigenous program. The helicopter is slated to formally enter military inventory in October, marking a key milestone in Ankara’s broader strategy to reduce reliance on foreign defense systems. The ministry also released a photograph showing the newly certified crew members alongside the announcement.

Operational preparation

The training completion represents the final phase of preparation before the platform becomes operational within the Air Force. The GOKBEY is expected to perform various utility and transport missions once fully integrated into the fleet ahead of next month’s formal induction.