President Ilham Aliyev and President Abdullah Gul have familiarized themselves with the activities of Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Abdullah Gul first watched training flights of the HURKUS main training plane and the T129 combat helicopter from the flight tower of the company.

Our head of state was informed that the anonymous partnership Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. was set up in 1973 in order to eliminate dependence on foreign production in the country’s defence sphere. Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc., which is a joint American-Turkish project founded in 1984, was launched in order to meet the demand of the Turkish Air Force. In the initial stage, the main purpose was to start the production of F-16s, ensure integration of aircraft systems and hand over war planes to the air force after test flights. In 2005, all shares of the company were taken over by Turkish stakeholders and large-scale reconstruction work was carried out here. In this regard, Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. expanded even more, developed aircraft and space industry systems, achieved modernization and gained many achievements in the coordination of systems. Thus, Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. turned into one of the most important technological centres of the fraternal country. Currently, the company encompasses five main strategic working centres. Apart from that, the company also provides logistical support for its products.

President Ilham Aliyev familiarized himself with the technical indicators of the HURKUS training plane. It was noted that modernization work has been carried on this plane in recent years.

Our head of state was informed about the technical indicators of the T129 combat helicopter. It was noted that the companies included in Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. cover an area of five million square metres, including 274,000 square metres of close space. With its projects, comprehensive investments and high-tech products, this organization, which is the centre of Turkey’s aircraft and space industry, has gained great authority in the world. Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc., which unites modern aircraft production enterprises fitted up with necessary modern devices and equipment, produces spare parts, assembles planes, has modern laboratories and test flight systems and in a word, has extensive production capacity, is also implementing a number of projects in the environmental sphere. Currently, pilotless planes are being manufactured at the enterprises of the company.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was also informed about the ANKA pilotless plane. It was noted that the space group, which is part of Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc., is engaged in a production process that has drawn the world’s attention. It has manufactured the Goyturk 1 satellite for military purposes and Turkey’s first national earth surveillance satellite Goyturk 2. Apart from that, the company has manufactured F-16 war planes since 1987, and the main purpose is to meet the demand and sell these planes abroad. Turkey, which is now the main manufacturer of these planes in the Middle East, is known as a country that successfully implemented a programme to modernize them. At the same time, it has achieved important results in the production and modernization of military helicopters. Along with all that, within the framework of international cooperation, the company is closely involved in the production of spare parts and equipment for models of planes belonging to various countries.