Turkish company working on SF260 replacement and MALE surveillance aircraft

Tusas Aerospace Industries (TAI) is poised to sign a development contract with the Turkish air force to produce a high-performance, single-engined basic trainer to replace its Aermacchi SF260D and Cessna T-37B/C fleets, the company says. To be certificated to civil standards, the aircraft will have a gross take-off weight of 2,500kg (5,510lb), a 10m (32.8ft) wingspan and be able to operate at 270kt (500km/h) up to 25,000ft.

Under the proposed schedule the first of four development aircraft will roll out in the second half of 2008, with initial deliveries to the Turkish air force to start in January 2009. Two of the airframes will be static test items, with the remainder to support flight testing activities.

Speaking at the Paris air show, TAI officials said conceptual design work for the new aircraft has been completed, with two wing options studied. The first is for an all-composite wing, with the second a metal wing with composite control surfaces. Both include underwing hardpoints for external stores. The avionics suite will be sourced from Turkish industry, with the engine, landing gear, escape and oxygen systems to be imported.

TAI is also continuing conceptual work for a medium-altitude, long- endurance (MALE) unmanned air vehicle ahead of potential government decisions to launch an indigenous development programme to augment its recent purchase of Israel Aircraft Industries Heron systems. Ankara is weighing a local development against potential membership in the EADS-led Euromale programme, with discussions between EADS and Turkey having run for at least two months. Any co-operation on Euromale would extend an existing relationship between TAI and EADS on Airbus Military’s A400M transport.

TAI says its MALE concept is for an all-composite, pusher-propeller aircraft with 24h endurance. The UAV would carry synthetic- aperture radar/ground moving target indication and electro-optical payloads at altitudes up to 30,000ft and have a UHF/VHF datalink with a range of 200km (110nm). A satellite communications capability has been excluded at the request of the Turkish armed forces.

PETER LA FRANCHI/PARIS

Source: Flight International

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