Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that the T625 GÖKBEY helicopter’s receipt of a Type Certificate is not only a major achievement for the aviation industry, but also a historic milestone for Türkiye’s goal of technological independence. Speaking at the GÖKBEY Helicopter Certificate Delivery Ceremony held at the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Uraloğlu emphasized that regional conflicts, wars, and embargoes in recent years have clearly demonstrated that producing domestic and national technology is no longer a choice for Türkiye, but a necessity. According to the minister, this development is a concrete sign that the country is moving steadily toward full independence in strategic sectors through its own engineering strength, infrastructure, and institutional capabilities.

Uraloğlu underlined that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has significantly expanded its domestic industrial capacity over the last 24 years and has become a global producer and exporter of high-technology products in many strategic fields, including defense industry, transportation, communications, electronics, and machinery. He pointed out that unmanned aerial platforms such as Bayraktar TB2, Akıncı, and Kızılelma have given Türkiye a stronger position in the skies, while projects such as MİLGEM, TCG Anadolu, TOGG, TÜRKSAT 6A, electric trains, driverless metro systems, and national suburban trains have become key components of this broader transformation. He stressed that these achievements are the result of the nation’s determination, the state’s strong support, and the hard work of Turkish engineers.

Highlighting the importance of the GÖKBEY project, Uraloğlu described it as one of the most striking steps in Türkiye’s industrial and technological rise. He recalled that TUSAŞ, which began its journey toward independence in 1973 in just two small huts, has now evolved into a giant aerospace organization operating in facilities covering millions of square meters and producing globally significant projects ranging from KAAN and HÜRJET to ANKA and ATAK-2. Designed initially for civilian purposes, the T625 GÖKBEY helicopter completed an intensive certification process that began with an application submitted on March 23, 2016, and ultimately earned its Type Certificate from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation after nearly a decade of work. During this process, more than 600 technical meetings were held, over 180 certification tests were completed, approximately 18,000 flight test points were evaluated, and more than 800 compliance documents were prepared. Validation flights carried out in February were also successfully completed in full compliance with international CS-29 standards.

The minister also noted that the entire certification process was managed digitally, transparently, and on an evidence-based basis through the KDM-ERP Certification Module developed under the Public Transformation Model. With this achievement, Türkiye has become one of the very few countries in the world capable of handling aircraft certification end-to-end through a national and digital platform. He stated that this positions Türkiye alongside established aviation ecosystems such as the United States, the European Union, Canada, and Brazil. Uraloğlu said GÖKBEY is not merely a helicopter, but also a strong symbol of national sovereignty, technological independence, and political will in civil aviation. Expected to serve in medical evacuation, firefighting, and general-purpose missions, the helicopter is likely to make a substantial contribution to Türkiye’s civil aviation capability and its broader domestic technology ecosystem in the years ahead.