Turkey is breathing new life into a historic dream. The Tayyare ve Motor Türk Anonim Şirketi (TOMTAŞ), originally established in 1926 in Kayseri as the country’s first aircraft factory, has been reborn nearly 100 years later. In 2023, the company was re-established through a partnership between ASFAT, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), Erciyes Teknopark, and TOMTAŞ Yatırım, operating within the Kayseri Mimarsinan Organized Industrial Zone.

Built on an 800,000-square-meter site, TOMTAŞ is developing modern hangars and R&D facilities that will contribute to national aviation and defense programs such as HÜRJET and collaborate with global aerospace manufacturers. However, the most significant impact of TOMTAŞ’s revival may be its role as the catalyst for a new industrial ecosystem: within just one year, 11 new aviation companies have been established around it.

These firms will operate in aircraft maintenance and repair, precision component manufacturing, and advanced aerospace systems, collectively investing $63.5 million in new production infrastructure, including 98 industrial machines. Coordinated by the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, this initiative aims to strengthen the city’s position within Turkey’s growing defense and aviation sector. During a visit to TUSAŞ, officials confirmed that Kayseri is ready to supply 200 of the 500 new machines TUSAŞ will require in the next five years.

According to TOMTAŞ CEO Ali Ekşi, Kayseri is “steadily becoming Turkey’s new aviation hub.” He emphasized that the projects led by TOMTAŞ are not only contributing to domestic industrial capacity but are also transforming the city into a strategic aerospace base. “Our initiatives are yielding results. The formation of 11 new companies shows that Kayseri’s potential in aviation and defense is being fully realized,” said Ekşi.

In the first phase of the initiative, the region is expected to generate 1,000 skilled jobs, with further expansions anticipated as new firms join the ecosystem. Industry experts note that Kayseri’s strong industrial culture, logistical advantages, and academic-industry collaboration make it a promising addition to Turkey’s major aerospace hubs alongside Ankara, Eskişehir, and Istanbul.

The revival of TOMTAŞ is therefore more than symbolic—it represents the continuation of a century-old national ambition. What began in 1926 as a pioneering vision for Turkish aviation has now evolved into a modern, export-oriented aerospace cluster, ready to contribute to both national defense and global supply chains.