From Supplier to Strategic Partner: GE Aerospace’s Evolving Role in TÜRKİYE
Defence Turkey: GE Aerospace has been a trusted partner in Turkish aviation for decades. How would you characterize the current state of your collaboration with Türkiye’s aerospace sector?
Rita FLAHERTY: GE Aerospace’s partnership with Türkiye’s aerospace sector is robust, deep-rooted, and continuously evolving. GE Aerospace has been committed to Türkiye for nearly six decades, delivering propulsion systems, engineering solutions, and technological expertise that support both commercial and military platforms. Today, over 500 highly skilled GE Aerospace employees in İstanbul, Ankara and Kocaeli support an installed base of more than 2,300 GE Aerospace and CFM International engines in the commercial and defense sectors. On the defense side, our partnership began when our engines powered the first batch of F-5A/B fighter jets ordered by Turkish Air Force.
Since that time, our collaboration expanded to include advanced engine integrations on new indigenous platforms, joint manufacturing venture, and R&D initiatives to supporting all major commercial airlines and defense projects in Türkiye. Additionally, the local teams in Türkiye play a key role across Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and parts of the Middle East, covering 28 countries.
Finally, through the Türkiye Technology Center (TTC), which recently marked its 25th anniversary, and our manufacturing joint venture TUSAŞ Engine Industries (TEI), which celebrated its 40th anniversary, our teams in Türkiye contribute to both local and global engine programs, reinforcing Türkiye’s role as an advanced technology and aerospace hub.
Defence Turkey: With GE Aerospace now operating as an independent company, how has this transformation influenced your strategy and priorities when it comes to partnerships and defense projects in Türkiye?
Rita FLAHERTY: At GE Aerospace, we have a clear mission: to invent the future of flight, lift people up, and bring them home safely. In 2024, we became an independent company, marking a pivotal milestone in our 100+ year legacy. The transformation now allows us to operate with greater strategic focus and agility, accelerating decision making, and supporting more targeted investments – including in hubs such as the Türkiye Technology Center.
In Türkiye, where we have maintained deep-rooted partnerships spanning decades, this independence has amplified our ability to forge stronger collaborations with local stakeholders—including government bodies, defense contractors, innovative technology firms, and non-governmental organizations. It empowers us to align more closely with Türkiye’s ambitions for indigenous defense capabilities and increased localization.
Defence Turkey: From your perspective, what makes Türkiye a strategic and important market for GE Aerospace’s defense business?
Rita FLAHERTY: Türkiye holds a strategic position in GE Aerospace’s global defense portfolio, driven by its robust industrial ecosystem and its commitment to advancing its aerospace and defense capabilities. The country’s infrastructure enables complex aerospace projects to be executed, making Türkiye a critical partner in both production and innovation. GE Aerospace has played a key role in developing this ecosystem over the decades.
Our joint venture, TEI, was established in 1985 precisely to help build local engine production know-how and self-reliance. It has since become integral to both our global supply chain and Türkiye’s own defense programs. This means we’re co-creating technology and products with Turkish industry.
Türkiye has also been pursuing indigenous platforms like the KAAN fifth-generation fighter and the Hürjet trainer as well as indigenous naval platforms like the ISTIF class frigates (MILGEM-I), the Ada class (MILGEM) corvettes, and the DIMDEG fleet oil replenishment vessels. These cutting-edge programs highlight why the market is important – Türkiye is investing in next-generation aviation and marine technology, and GE Aerospace’s engines and systems are supporting those programs.
Defence Turkey: Could you share your thoughts on what makes a successful long-term joint venture in the defense sector, as we know GE Aerospace has a joint venture, TEI in Türkiye? What are the key elements behind the sustained success of such a partnership?
Rita FLAHERTY: A long-term joint venture thrives when it evolves with shared purpose, open collaboration, and the ability to meet changing needs over time. Our 40-year partnership with TEI has grown from a manufacturing base into a globally integrated player in both military and commercial aerospace programs. Today, TEI is not only an OEM-approved maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider for military engines worldwide, but also a major manufacturer of engine parts for GE Aerospace’s most advanced commercial engines. Their recent recognition as GE Aerospace’s 2025 “Supplier of the Year” underscores the depth of this collaboration. In addition to its strong manufacturing role, TEI works together with our teams at the Türkiye Technology Center on several high-impact projects—further highlighting Türkiye’s strategic position within our global supply and innovation network.
Success lies not only in the continuity of projects, but in the ability of each partner to bring complementary strengths. For us, it’s about building local capability, empowering engineering talent, and co-developing technologies that serve both national and global defense needs. That’s what makes this joint venture not just sustainable, but truly strategic.
Defence Turkey: Local talent and engineering excellence have been vital to Türkiye’s aerospace advancements. How does GE Aerospace leverage the capabilities of the Türkiye Technology Center (TTC) and other local resources to drive innovation and program success, particularly in defense applications?
Rita FLAHERTY: At GE Aerospace, we see Türkiye not only as a strategic location but also as a source of world-class engineering talent. Our Türkiye Technology Center (TTC) is home to more than 500 highly skilled professionals who contribute to both global and national defense initiatives. Their expertise spans advanced design, systems integration, testing, and software engineering—enabling us to accelerate development cycles and adapt quickly to evolving defense needs.
This local capability plays a pivotal role in major programs by ensuring that innovation is not only top-down but also embedded in the day-to-day execution of complex projects. From enhancing in-service military and commercial engine platforms to contributing to the future of flight — such as the CFM RISE* program — TTC engineers are helping solve some of aviation’s most complex engineering challenges.
Defence Turkey: How does GE Aerospace contribute to Türkiye’s localization and industrial participation goals in defense—and how do these efforts align with your global commitment to building resilient local ecosystems?
Rita FLAHERTY: Localization has been a fundamental pillar of GE Aerospace’s operations in Türkiye, exemplified by key facilities such as the Türkiye Technology Center (TTC) and our longstanding joint venture with TUSAŞ Engine Industries (TEI). We also actively support localization through licensed production and assembly programs. Last year, our collaboration was reaffirmed through a Memorandum of Understanding signed with Turkish Aerospace and TEI to extend cooperation on future variants of the HÜRJET trainer. Under this agreement, we aim to establish TEI as a regional center for assembly, test, and support for the F404 engines in Türkiye for both the Turkish Air Force and any export customers.
Our engagement in programs like the F-16 Viper, conducted under the Foreign Military Sales framework, highlights how collaboration with Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense and these local partners creates significant opportunities for industrial participation and ecosystem growth. These initiatives will strengthen Türkiye’s defense capabilities while fostering a sustainable and resilient aerospace sector when program agreements are finalized.
Defence Turkey: GE Aerospace has been proud to be involved in key milestones in Türkiye’s indigenous programs such as KAAN and Hürjet. How do you view the significance of these indigenous projects?
Rita FLAHERTY: GE Aerospace is honored to be an integral partner in Türkiye’s indigenous aerospace programs, notably the KAAN fighter and HÜRJET advanced jet trainer. These projects signify a pivotal evolution in Türkiye’s defense and aerospace capabilities, underscoring the nation's growing technological autonomy and industrial prowess.
Witnessing the first flights of both KAAN and HÜRJET were remarkable experiences for GE Aerospace, reflecting the culmination of years of collaborative engineering and innovation. The HÜRJET program demonstrates significant potential not only for domestic defense needs but also for international markets. With multiple variants under development, including advanced jet trainer, lead-in fighter trainer, and aerobatic team configurations, HÜRJET is poised to become a competitive asset in the global aerospace sector.
The recent approval of the HÜRJET Contract Technical Assistance Agreement by the US Congress marks a significant milestone, enhancing the program's credibility and opening avenues for broader international collaboration. This development together with the approval of marketing licenses for international customers are a testament to the program's alignment with international standards and its potential for export success.
GE Aerospace's involvement extends beyond propulsion systems. We are actively engaged in the development of avionics and power systems for various aviation platforms. Our expertise in integrated modular avionics and electrical power systems, positions us to contribute significantly to the avionics and power systems of future aircraft, including those within the HÜRJET program.
Defence Turkey: Looking ahead, how do you envision GE Aerospace’s role evolving in empowering Türkiye’s defense aviation platforms and contributing to their success internationally?
Rita FLAHERTY: At GE Aerospace, we have evolved from a technology supplier into a true strategic partner that supports the broader aerospace ecosystem. Over the years, we have been supporting, co-developing, manufacturing and working together with Türkiye’s defense and commercial aerospace industry through partnerships. We envision continuing such collaborations where GE Aerospace’s proven technologies can provide Turkish aircraft with a competitive edge in performance, reliability, and ease of maintenance.
*RISE, or Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines, is a registered trademark of CFM International
