TAI'S Advanced Technology Met with Turkish Press
The first of press tours organized by the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries and initiated in order to inform the members of the press about the sector was realized at Akıncılar facilities of TAI.
Within the scope of the introduction tour, the participants visited the facilities where unmanned aircrafts of original construction are built, ongoing aircraft modernizations, composite manufacturing, primary construction and avionic integrations are made and where advanced composites, flight line and laboratories are located.
ANKA AIRCRAFTS ON THE TURKISH SKY IN 2012
During the press tour, Özcan Ertem – TAI Integrated Aircraft Group Head, gave detailed information about “Anka” unmanned aircraft. Mr. Ertem stated that the first test flight of ANKA unmanned aircraft project which is in progress since 2005 was made on November 30, 2010 and manufacturing activities for new aircrafts continue rapidly.
Stating that the second and third ANKA aircrafts following the first one are under construction within the scope of the tender agreement signed between SSM and TAI, and 2 ANKA aircrafts are under construction for another project and the flight test of five ANKA unmanned aircrafts with FLIR camera will be completed and the aircrafts will be made available for use at the end of this year.
Unlike Herons, diesel engine and jet fuel driven ‘ANKA’ unmanned aircraft has the capability to stay in the air for 24 hours in the latest configurations and operate with 2 cameras at 30.000 feet. TAI is able to integrate certain components such as weapon or radar in line with demands from the Turkish Armed Forces following prototype ANKA aircrafts.
F-16 IS NATIONALIZED
TAI, which has constructed 278 F-16 fighter aircrafts so far, 4 of which are perfect, at its facilities and ranking second with respect to F-16 construction across the world, is preparing to initiate another important project with Turkish engineers within its structure. A total of 37 Block 30 F-16 fighter aircrafts in the inventory of Turkey will be nationalized in the upcoming period. Activities have started so that the software of the related aircrafts is “national” and the first aircraft “nationalized” within the project is planned to make its first test flight 3 years later and be delivered to the Turkish Air Forces in 4 years. TAI authorities expressed: “This is an important project in terms of sovereignty. We wish to strengthen this with F-16.”
Besides F-16 nationalization project, modernization operations on F-16 aircrafts are also in progress at the facilities. Stating that modernization operations on 41 F-16 aircrafts continue rapidly under the agreement made with Pakistani Air Forces, TAI authorities, suggested that avionic modernization of 3 aircrafts were completed and all other aircrafts will be brought to the facility and subject to modernization operations in the upcoming period.
MELTEM II AND MELTEM III PREPARING FOR TASK
Meltem II Project which covers the modernization of electronic systems of cargo aircrafts, constructed at the facilities of TAI in 2001 and 2002 and then 6 of which delivered to Turkish Naval Forces Command and 3 of which delivered to Turkish Coast Guard Command, is also one of the important programs carried out by TAI. TAI authorities said that the modification of 6 aircrafts was completed and these aircrafts are in an operational condition and the modification operations are in progress for the remaining 3 aircrafts within the scope of Meltem II Program and all modifications will be completed in the middle of 2011. After the completion of the necessary software and systems, the aircrafts will be delivered to Turkish Naval Forces Command.
Functional system modernization operations for 10 ATR- 72 aircrafts named as Meltem III and purchased from Italy by the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries are still in progress at the facilities.
HÜRKUŞ MAKES FIRST FLIGHT IN 2012
Turkish Primary and Basic Training Aircraft (HÜRKUŞ) Project, which was launched in 2006 with the decision of Defense Industry Executive Committee (SSIK) is one of the important programs in progress at the facilities of TAI. The assembly of the wings of the aircraft is now in process d at the facilities of TAI within the scope of this project. Equipped with the most powerful engine of its class, HÜRKÜŞ will roll out in the first months of 2012 and make its first flight in 2012 summer.
IN TAI AND LIMITED IN THE WORLD
Besides modernization and original constructions, TAI also plays a critical role in international programs. JSF F-35 project, also including Turkey, productions related to Boeing 787 and A- 400M which is the largest transport aircraft of Europe are among such programs. Elevator, cargo compartment panel, laterally stabilized and fuselage coating components are manufactured in the “Advanced Composite Manufacturing Facility”. Furthermore, middle fuselage composite components of F-35 aircrafts are also manufactured at this facility. Thanks to 'Viper 1200 Fiber Placement System’ available only in a few countries across the world, many components such as air inlet parts of F- 35 aircrafts are manufactured using this method.
'NATIONAL SATELLITE READY TO BE LAUNCHED”
After the tour at the facilities, Mr. Vecdi Gönül – the Minister of National Defense, came together at lunch with the members of the press joining the introduction tour. Emphasizing that TAI has an important position in the sector today, Mr. Gönül, said that TAI, once a company only performing the assembly of F-16 aircrafts in the first years of its foundation, has now become a center which performs the modernization of its own F- 16 aircrafts. “The modernization of the aircrafts of Jordan Air Forces is performed at the facilities of TAI and the aircrafts of Pakistani Air Forces will also be modernized at these facilities” said Mr. Gönül. He also stated: “The manufacturing of Helicopters and Unmanned Aircrafts and modernization of F- 16 aircrafts are of utmost importance, but the most important activity which they performed in their term of office is to put into practice “Female Computer”. Stating that this task computer was created after day and night efforts of 150 engineers for 5 years, Mr. Gönül, said that aircrafts are now completely under the command of Turkish commanders and not controlled from another location thanks to this system. Mr. Gönül also expressed that the production of task computer which controls flight and all weapon systems may be a rarely encountered, but the most important success for them.
Mr. Gönül stated that the activities related to satellite systems are carried out in cooperation with TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) and the satellite manufacturing is now in progress, calibration tests passed and the satellite is ready to be launched.
FIRST DELIVERY OF ATAK IN 2013
Muharrem Dörtkaşlı – the General Manager of TAI, who gave a short briefing to the members of the press at the facilities, stated that they conduct negotiations with highly esteemed European customers on issues such as license purchase without even delivering “ANKA” unmanned aircraft to Turkish Armed Forces. Noting that the first delivery within the scope of ATAK helicopter Project will be in 2013, Mr. Dörtkaşlı said: “It is a sovereign and original product, no matter who purchases. Completely we fill its interior. Reminding that TAI was founded for the modernization of F-16 aircrafts, Mr. Dörtkaşlı stated: "We are now a company with a capability to design an unmanned aircraft and a helicopter from scratch. “Whatever Airbus and Boeing has, we also have all standards related to the whole design”.
Stating that they made a request from the treasury for a terrain of 500 hectares next to TAI premises and Ostim aerospace clustering will be deployed in this area, Mr. Dörtkaşlı said: “We will also start to gather around our sub-industry. Our aim is to make ‘Akıncı Plain’ an ‘Aeronautical Plain’”. He also expressed that an activity was commenced to get into the exchange market. “We are preparing. This is a decision to take in the second half or towards the end of the year, taking into the general economic conjuncture. But we are attempting to prepare our infrastructure” said Mr. Dörtkaşlı.
