Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) aims to produce more than 150 KAAN fighter jets, more than 200 HÜRJETs and more than 250 ANKA-3s by 2035.
TAI General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu shared the company's production targets for 2035 at the panel held within the scope of the Subcontractor and Supply Management Workshop in the Defense and Aviation Sector. The figures announced in the panel titled "Transformation of Strategic Supply Chain Management and the Role of Subcontractors in the Defense Industry in the Transition from Prototype to Scalable Mass Production" revealed that the company plans to expand its production capacity in aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and satellite programs.
The production quantities that TAI aims to reach by 2035 are as follows:
KAAN: More than 150
HÜRJET: More than 200
HÜRKUŞ: More than 150
GÖKBEY: More than 200
T925: more than 150
T129 ATAK: More than 100
ANKA-3: more than 250
AKSUNGUR: More than 150
ANKA: More than 150
Tactical UAV: More than 10,000
Satellites: more than 20
New Product or Configuration: More than 30
According to these targets, it is planned to produce more than 500 platforms in the fixed-wing aircraft category, more than 450 in the helicopter category, and more than 550 platforms in the unmanned aerial vehicle category, excluding tactical UAVs. Thus, it is expected to reach a total of more than 1,500 air platforms in three main categories.
More than 10 thousand tactical UAV targets are excluded from this total. This figure stands out as the largest item in terms of quantity in TAI's production plan.
Target for 150 Aircraft in KAAN and 200 in HÜRJET
One of the most important topics in TAI's production plan is Turkey's national combat aircraft project KAAN. The company aims to produce more than 150 KAANs by 2035. This figure requires a significant increase in production capacity following the transition from prototype and testing activities to mass production.
The first deliveries of KAAN to the Turkish Air Force in blocks are aimed to begin at the end of 2028 or the beginning of 2029. This schedule depends on the development and testing processes progressing as planned.
The target of more than 200 aircraft set for HÜRJET indicates a production scale that covers both Turkey's training aircraft need and export potential. Spain signed an agreement for 30 aircraft within the scope of the integrated training system to be developed on the basis of HÜRJET. Deliveries are planned to begin in 2028.
The target of more than 150 aircraft set for HÜRKUŞ is also part of TAI's plan to expand the production of turboprop trainer aircraft. HÜRKUŞ-II's receipt of its military type certificate and the start of deliveries to the Turkish Air Force are among the important developments in the serial production phase of the program.
More than 450 Helicopters for GÖKBEY, T925 and ATAK
Helicopter programs also have an important place in TAI's 2035 plan. The company aims to produce more than 200 units of the GÖKBEY general purpose helicopter, more than 150 units of the T925 and more than 100 units of the T129 ATAK attack helicopter.
GÖKBEY is being developed as a platform for the needs of public institutions as well as military and civilian missions. While deliveries for the Turkish Armed Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs continue, production activities are also carried out for tasks such as healthcare and fighting forest fires.
T925, on the other hand, is a general purpose helicopter positioned in a capacity class above GÖKBEY and planned to weigh over 10 tons. Among the goals of the program is the development of a domestic platform with higher carrying capacity.
T129 ATAK will contribute to the production targets within the scope of the current attack helicopter program. The total target set by TAI for these three programs is to produce more than 450 helicopters by 2035.
Production Scale of ANKA-3 and Other UAVs Will Grow
Unmanned aerial vehicles constitute the other large group in TAI's production plan. The company aims to produce more than 250 units of the ANKA-3 unmanned combat aircraft, more than 150 units in AKSUNGUR and more than 150 units in the ANKA family.
ANKA-3 stands out with its flying wing design with low visibility features. As the development and production work of the platform progresses, it is aimed to increase TAI's production capacity in the field of unmanned combat aircraft.
AKSUNGUR is an unmanned aerial vehicle that stands out with its long flight time and ability to operate with different payloads. ANKA family offers solutions for different operational needs, including reconnaissance, surveillance and armed missions.
In addition, more than 10 thousand tactical UAV targets announced indicate a separate planning for unmanned systems that can be produced on a smaller scale and in high quantities. However, a detailed list of which products and configurations this category covers is not shared.
TAI Will Transfer a Larger Part of Production to Subcontractors
In order to achieve the announced production targets, TAI needs to expand its production infrastructure and restructure its supply chain. In this context, the company plans to increase the role of subcontractors in part production and component assembly while keeping final assembly and system integration activities in-house.
TAI General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu, in his previous statements, stated that a larger part of the production activities will be transferred to the auxiliary industry. In this model, TAI is responsible for final assembly and integration; Subcontractors are expected to take on more responsibilities in works such as the production of structural parts and the assembly of large components.
The transfer of HÜRJET's component assembly works to TOMTAŞ in Kayseri is one of the examples of this approach. By expanding the subcontractor network, it is aimed to increase production capacity, manage delivery times and make production in higher quantities possible.
However, the 2035 targets do not mean firm orders for all these platforms. While the announced figures reveal TAI's production plan, achieving the targets; The technical maturity of the programs will depend on the development of orders, supply chain capacity and production infrastructure.
