Turkish Aerospace Industries Wins Major Engine Production Order
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has won a 2.95 billion engine production order for parts and maintenance services tied to 22 widely used civil and military aviation engine programs, the company said. The deal, confirmed by Türkiye’s Defense Industries Secretary Haluk Gorgun, marks an early export success for TAI’s engine subsidiary in 2026.
The contract, sourced from abroad, covers manufacturing of high value-added engine components and maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for globally deployed engine families. Deliveries are set to begin in 2026.
TAI’s engine arm, Tusaş Engine Industries (TEI), has grown its role in aviation powerplants, producing UAV engines, helicopter powerplants, and jet engine components.
Export Momentum and Industry Standing
According to Gorgun, the new order pushes TEI’s total backlog to roughly 8.2 billion, reflecting its engineering capabilities and production scale. He framed the win as evidence of Türkiye’s emergence as a producer of advanced aviation engine technologies.
TAI has been expanding its indigenous engine work. TEI developed and is producing turbodiesel engines for drones and has progressed domestic turbofan work, including the TEI-TF6000 series aimed at jet platforms.
See also: TAI’s broader defense exports rose sharply in 2025, contributing to nearly 8.5 billion in aerospace exports for Türkiye’s defense sector.
Strategic Context
This contract arrives as Turkey aims to reduce foreign dependency in aerospace propulsion. TEI’s pipeline includes efforts to develop engines for the upcoming KAAN fifth-generation fighter program and other advanced aircraft, part of a long-term drive for self-sufficiency in powerplants.
