Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Edogan has said the country’s first domestically produced assault helicopter is to be exported to friendly countries. His comments came at the handing-over ceremony of the T129 assault helicopter to the Turkish Armed Forces at the Turkish Army Air Defence Command in the capital Ankara on 10 June. Erdogan said: “Production of the assault helicopter is a milestone for the development of the country’s defence industry.”
“Fifty-nine helicopters will be handed over to the Turkish Armed Forces in the first phase, while some friendly countries have shown their interest for the purchase of these helicopters.” The helicopter, produced with advanced technology and which can fly in all kind of weather conditions, has a flight range of 570km and its development has enabled Turkey to join a limited group of countries with such a military and industrial capacity.