Turkey’s T625 Gökbey multipurpose helicopter has made its first flight with the TS1400 turboshaft engine.

Ismail Demir, Head of the Defence Industry Agency, announced this.

“Our first domestic and national TS1400 helicopter engine was used for the first time on a GÖKBEY helicopter during a test flight,” he wrote on Twitter.

The engine has been developed since 2017 by the TEI company, which is part of TUSAŞ.

The TS1400 engine with a capacity of 1400 hp. was first presented in December 2020, followed by continued testing.

The development of the engine is one of the projects of the Turkish defense industry aimed at import substitution.

It is currently installed on the Gökbey helicopter but is being considered to be used on the T129 ATAK strike aircraft in the future.

The rotational power of the TS1400 engine is 23,000 rpm, and the operational ceiling is over 6,000 meters.

The first units of T625 Gökbey multipurpose helicopters are planned to be delivered to the General Command of the Turkish Gendarmerie in 2023.

They will be used for VIP transfers, cargo, sanitary, search and rescue, and sea transportation.

The TS1400 engine will allow the helicopter to operate in the most difficult climatic and geographical conditions, at high altitudes, and at any time of the day.

The total take-off weight of Gökbey is 6 tons. It accommodates 12 passengers and develops a maximum speed of 306 km per hour. It can stay in the air for over 3.5 hours and with the use of an external fuel tank – for over 5 hours. It can reach a maximum range of 948 km.

These helicopters are planned to replace the American UH-1s currently used by the Turkish Armed Forces.