Turkey’s First Domestically Developed Military Turbofan Engine TF6000 Successfully Completed Its First Ignition Test
Turkey has reached another significant milestone in its efforts to reduce reliance on foreign critical equipment in the defense and aerospace industries, as well as develop domestic technological capabilities. In this context, Turkey’s first domestically developed military turbofan engine, the TF6000, developed by TAI Engine Industries (TEI) as part of the Defense Industry Agency’s domestic engine project, successfully completed its first ignition test.
Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, President of the Defense Industry Agency, stated in a post on his X account, “Our National Power Makes Our Chests Swell and Gives Peace to Our Hearts! Turkey’s first National Turbofan Engine TF6000… was started up for the first time in the national engine test system! At the end of the testing process, KIZILELMA and ANKA-3 will be powered by the TF6000! I wholeheartedly congratulate everyone who contributed to the project, especially our engineers and technical teams. May it be beneficial to our country and our nation.”
TAI Engine Industries Inc. developed the TEI TF6000 turbofan engine with 6,000 lbf (26.7 kN) dry thrust, without an afterburner. The main purpose of designing the engine is to replace imported engines used in a variety of platforms, including manned and unmanned aircraft, business jets, regional passenger aircraft, civil-military helicopters with a takeoff weight of 10 tons, assault boats, and power plants.
The TEI TF6000 turbofan engine will initially power Baykar’s Bayraktar Kızılelma unmanned combat aircraft and TAI’s Flying Wing Unmanned Combat Aircraft ANKA-3. These platforms are currently powered by AI-25TL and AI-322F turbofan engines developed by the Ukrainian engine manufacturer Ivchenko-Progress. Following testing, in addition to the Bayraktar KIZILELMA and TUSAŞ ANKA-3, the TEI TF6000 engine is planned to be used in the Hürjet Jet Trainer and Light Attack Aircraft and T929 ATAK-2 Attack Helicopter.
TAI Engine Industries (TEI) is also developing the TEI-TF10000 Turbofan Engine, which is an upgraded version of the TF6000 and is expected to have a power output of 10,000 lbf (6,000 lbf dry thrust) with afterburner. The TEI-TF10000 Turbofan Engine, set to go into mass production in 2030, is expected to power Turkey’s KAAN fighter aircraft, which recently made its first flight with imported General Electric F110 engines.
In addition to the TF6000 and TF10000 jet engine projects, Turkey is expected to complete the design, development, and production stages of the relevant accessory subsystems, fan module, variable stator vane compressor, flow mixer exhaust and afterburner.