Türkiye has taken a major step forward in its national defense capabilities with the successful test of its first indigenous turbojet engine. Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank visited the facilities of Kale Aviation and Kale Ar-Ge in Tuzla, where he personally conducted the test of the newly developed engine. Joined by Kale Group Vice President Osman Okyay and the engineering team, Varank stated that the engine would be ready for serial production in the near future. “We heard its sound moments ago. This engine represents Türkiye’s determination to overcome foreign embargoes through national technology,” he said following the test.

Varank emphasized that Kale Group is one of the key industrial and technological hubs of the Turkish defense and aviation sectors. The company has long been a major contributor to global aerospace programs, producing critical fuselage and wing components for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, as well as supplying parts to industry giants such as Boeing and Airbus. Highlighting Kale’s accomplishments in propulsion technologies, Varank noted that the KTJ-3200 Turbojet Engine—capable of generating 3,200 newtons of thrust—will replace engines previously imported from abroad, strengthening Türkiye’s self-reliance in missile propulsion.

The turbojet engine developed by Kale Ar-Ge is designed for integration into the SOM (Stand-Off Missile) system produced for the Turkish Air Force. Beyond SOM, the engine can be modified for use in other domestically developed cruise missiles and will form the foundation for next-generation long-range turbojet propulsion systems. Kale Ar-Ge is responsible not only for the engine’s production but also for its subsystems, design, testing, technical data packages, and maintenance infrastructure—marking one of the most comprehensive national engine development programs in Türkiye’s history.

Kale Group has been a key pillar of Türkiye’s defense localization efforts over the past 16 years. As the only Turkish company with components on the world’s first flying F-35 prototype (AA1), Kale Aviation works closely with major international contractors such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Airbus, PFW, Spirit, KAI and Northrop Grumman. Through its joint venture with Pratt & Whitney, the group also manufactures parts for the advanced F-135 engine used in F-35 aircraft, along with components for various commercial aviation engines.

The successful test of Türkiye’s first indigenous turbojet engine marks a transformative achievement for the country’s defense industry. Once integrated into service, the engine will greatly reduce foreign dependency and accelerate the development of advanced national missile platforms.