Türkiye, Saudi Arabia to jointly produce Gökbey helicopters

RIYADH

Türkiye signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia on Feb. 10 to jointly produce its Gökbey general-purpose helicopters in the kingdom, marking the first international manufacturing deal for the aircraft.

The agreement was finalized at the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh between Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment and General Authority for Military Industries. Gökhan Uçar, deputy head of Türkiye’s Defense Industries Presidency and a TUSAŞ board member, signed on behalf of the Turkish firm.

Under the memorandum, the Saudi ministry will consolidate helicopter requirements across military and civilian sectors, while TUSAŞ will partner with a local manufacturer to produce helicopters tailored to those needs. Officials said the scope and specifics of the joint production will be determined according to demand.

The jointly produced helicopters will also be available for export to neighboring countries.

The T625 Gökbey is designed to operate in challenging climates and geographies, including high-altitude and high-temperature environments. Its missions include transport, VIP travel, cargo, air ambulance, search and offshore operations.

The aircraft completed its first flight on Sept. 6, 2018. In April 2023, the Gökbey P1 prototype successfully flew using turboshaft engines, and the first production helicopter has been delivered to Türkiye’s Gendarmerie General Command.