Turkish Aerospace buys Ukrainian engines for Atak
Ukrainian engines will power the Turkish T929 attack helicopter. (Photo: IHA)
Ukraine rides to the rescue with engines to power the Turkish T929 Atak attack helicopter.
Ukrainian firm Motor Sich is providing 14 engines to Turkish Aerospace for the T929 Multirole Heavy Combat Helicopter — a heavier (11t) version of the T129 Atak attack helicopter.
Turkish Aerospace did not disclose the value of the deal or the delivery timeframe in announcing the contract on 29 June, but it could solve a particularly thorny problem for the manufacturer.
The Atak programme ran into difficulties because of US sanctions imposed in 2019 after Ankara pushed ahead with procurement of S-400 air defence missile systems from Russia.
The US-made LHTEC CTS800-4A turboshaft engine for Atak, manufactured under a JV between Honeywell and Rolls-Royce, is affected by these sanctions.
Turkey is developing its own turboshaft engine for the T129: the TS1400 from TUSAŞ Engine Industries. This may be a solution but its development is not expected to be completed until 2025.
US sanctions are also likely to stimulate the development of domestically made engines for the T929 and other Turkish helicopters.
Another option to power the T129 might be an ITAR-free engine such as the Safran Arano 1A, Shephard Defence Insight notes.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Turkey’s Eurofighter process going to plan despite German block, says minister]()
Turkey’s Eurofighter process going to plan despite German block, says minister
The comment, made by Turkish defence minister Yasar Guler, also noted that the 40-strong sale of Eurofighter Typhoons was primarily managed by the UK, not Germany.
-
![Belgium considers additional F-35 order to boost fleet]()
Belgium considers additional F-35 order to boost fleet
The statement from Prime Minister Bart De Wever during a parliamentary session follows the country’s Easter Agreement which would see it increase defence spending to 2% of GDP by the end of 2025.
-
![Northrop Grumman notes $477 million loss as it manages higher B-21 programme costs]()
Northrop Grumman notes $477 million loss as it manages higher B-21 programme costs
In its Q1 earnings call, the company disclosed a US$477 million pretax loss related to the programme as it works to scale up.
-
![India set to sign Rafale-M deal]()
India set to sign Rafale-M deal
New Delhi gears up to sign Navy Rafale deal as talks swirl around a potential assembly line in Nagpur.
-
![Lockheed Martin wants to “supercharge” F-35 after NGAD loss]()
Lockheed Martin wants to “supercharge” F-35 after NGAD loss
The investment in technologies developed for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) aircraft bid will now be applied to its F-35 and F-22 aircraft, according to Lockheed Martin CEO James Taiclet.
