At the 4th Investment Summit organized in İzmir by the Aegean Industrialists and Businesspeople Association (ESİAD), Kale Group Vice Chairman Osman Okyay shared significant updates on Türkiye’s expanding jet engine capabilities. Okyay highlighted that Kale Group’s efforts since 2012 have resulted in major progress, with three different types of domestically developed turbojet engines already in serial production and integrated into Türkiye’s defense inventory.

These engines currently power cruise missiles, jet-powered UAVs and kamikaze drones, while four additional engine development programs continue in parallel. Stressing that jet engine production is among the most technically demanding fields in global defense, Okyay noted that only a handful of countries possess the full capability. Türkiye, he said, is rapidly approaching the level of nations that can produce complete jet engines independently.

Okyay recalled that Kale Jet Motors achieved a major milestone in April by exporting the KTJ-3200 turbojet engine to Brazil, marking Türkiye’s first jet engine export in the defense sector. The engine is set to power Brazil’s domestically developed naval cruise missile. Due to the scarcity of companies producing engines in this thrust class, Türkiye has emerged as a sought-after supplier. “Countries developing new missile platforms must secure engines, and since there are few players, many of them knock on our door,” he explained.

He also revealed that Kale Group is currently in export negotiations with 10–12 countries, and that one or two additional agreements could be finalized before the end of this year. This development underscores Türkiye’s rising position in high-technology defense exports and its growing appeal as a reliable propulsion systems supplier.

ESİAD Chair Sibel Zorlu emphasized İzmir’s strategic value in the defense and aerospace sectors, highlighting its technoparks, free zones, R&D centers and specialized workforce as key strengths.

Türkiye’s growing jet engine ecosystem, combined with expanding export opportunities, signals a new era in the nation’s high-technology defense capabilities and its integration into global supply chains.