TUSAŞ and Lockheed Martin are preparing to restart the Turkish General Purpose Helicopter Program (TUHP), which was suspended last summer. TUSAŞ General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu stated at the Farnborough Airshow that the company has obtained export licenses for a new batch of 39 Black Hawk helicopters and expects to resume T-70 production within the next 12 to 18 months.

Under the TUHP contract signed in 2014, TUSAŞ was to produce 109 S-70 Black Hawk helicopters in T-70 standard, equipped with domestically manufactured landing gear, dynamic systems, and Turkish-made avionics. However, following Turkey's purchase of a Russian air defense system, U.S. sanctions were imposed, and the U.S. State Department withheld export licenses for the remaining 71 helicopter kits. Consequently, Lockheed Martin suspended work on the program in October 2024. To date, 38 helicopters have been delivered.

TUSAŞ plays a leading role in the Turkish defense industry ecosystem in the design, development, and production of aviation platforms. The company has demonstrated significant engineering capacity in strategic projects such as the KAAN national combat aircraft, the HÜRJET advanced jet trainer, and the T-925 general purpose helicopter. The TUHP program has been an important platform for TUSAŞ to demonstrate its localization and technology transfer capabilities within international partnerships. Demiroğlu noted that while there will be some delays compared to the original schedule, production is expected to resume within approximately 18 months.

The T-70 Black Hawk helicopter is operationally deployed in more than 40 countries worldwide and is recognized as a NATO-standard platform. The Turkish T-70 variant differentiates itself through domestically developed avionics systems and landing gear, thereby increasing the localization rate. Demiroğlu stated confidence that delivery of kits for the remaining 32 helicopters will be secured, enabling the program to reach the desired total of 109 units. This is a critical step for completing the program at full capacity.

The challenges encountered in the TUHP program have prompted TUSAŞ to accelerate work on the T-925, a domestically developed 12-ton, twin-engine general purpose helicopter. Demiroğlu emphasized that despite the TUHP program's restart, the T-925 has not been sidelined and continues at full pace. The company expects the T-925 to partially address the replacement cycle of approximately 200 rotary-wing aircraft in the Turkish Armed Forces between 2030 and 2040, while also capturing export market opportunities. Production of 400 to 500 T-925 units is projected over a 10-15 year period beginning in 2030.