Turkish Aerospace Targets Middle Eastern and African Markets With Full Portfolio at EDEX 2025
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Turkish Aerospace opened EDEX 2025 with a full lineup of fighters, trainers, helicopters, and unmanned systems as Türkiye leads the largest national pavilion at the show. The broad portfolio signals Ankara’s effort to expand defense exports and deepen ties with Middle Eastern and African air forces.
Turkish Aerospace Industries arrived in Cairo for EDEX 2025 with a message that regional airpower modernization is moving fast and that Ankara intends to be a long-term supplier. Company officials highlighted renewed cooperation with Egyptian aerospace entities, ongoing technology transfer discussions, and a growing export pipeline that now exceeds three billion dollars in international contracts over five years. The company’s presence at the largest national pavilion reflects a strategic push by Türkiye to position its next-generation aircraft and UAVs as competitive alternatives for countries seeking modern capabilities without long procurement timelines.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Turkish Aerospace showcases its full airpower portfolio at EDEX 2025, highlighting the KAAN fifth-generation fighter, HÜRJET trainer, ANKA and ANKA III unmanned systems, T129 ATAK helicopter, and Şimşek target drone as the company strengthens its export presence across the Middle East and Africa (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).
For Egypt and regional air forces, Turkish Aerospace arrives in Cairo as a partner already familiar from earlier cooperation initiatives, including industrial-level discussions with Egyptian aerospace entities on joint production and technology transfer. That diplomatic warming has been paired with a broader surge in export activity. Company officials note that Turkish Aerospace has secured more than three billion dollars in international contracts over the past five years. ANKA UAVs have been delivered or ordered by several nations, AKSUNGUR drones are in service with two foreign customers, T129 ATAK helicopters have been exported to three countries, HÜRKUŞ trainers to two, and the Şimşek target drone has also entered overseas inventories. This momentum offers important context for the aircraft and systems being showcased in Cairo.
At the top of the company’s lineup stands KAAN, Türkiye’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter. The twin-engine aircraft carries a maximum takeoff weight of 34,750 kilograms and uses two 13,150 kgf-class engines to reach Mach 1.8 at 40,000 feet, with a service ceiling of 55,000 feet. Designed for low observability, KAAN integrates internal weapon bays, high-agility flight performance up to plus nine G, and an advanced avionics suite that fuses radar, electro-optical, and electronic support sensors. Large-area cockpit displays and a modern helmet-mounted sight complete a cockpit architecture intended to match Western fifth-generation designs. In 2025, Indonesia signed a landmark contract for 48 KAAN fighters, valued at roughly ten billion dollars, with final assembly arrangements and industrial cooperation built into the agreement. This milestone elevates KAAN’s export credibility and positions it as a serious candidate for future operators across the Middle East and Africa.
HÜRJET, the company’s advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft, anchors the mid-tier of the portfolio. The single-engine, tandem-seat aircraft carries up to 7,500 pounds of payload, reaches Mach 1.4, and operates at altitudes up to 45,000 feet while sustaining plus eight G. It is designed for lead-in fighter training, aggressor missions, close air support, and border security operations. Its selection by Spain for a program involving up to 45 aircraft underscores the platform’s growing relevance among NATO air forces seeking replacements for aging trainer fleets. At EDEX 2025, HÜRJET is one of Turkish Aerospace’s signature exhibits, signaling its readiness to compete directly with European and Asian manufacturers for regional training and light combat requirements.
In unmanned aviation, the ANKA family remains the company’s most mature and widely deployed segment. The baseline ANKA medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV delivers up to 30 hours of endurance, a 30,000-foot ceiling, and a payload capacity exceeding 350 kilograms. It carries EO/IR sensors, SAR and GMTI radar, electronic support and attack payloads, and precision munitions including guided bombs, rockets, and anti-tank missiles. Encrypted datalinks, SATCOM connectivity beyond 2,500 kilometers, and fully autonomous takeoff and landing round out its mission flexibility. The newer ANKA III introduces a stealth-oriented flying-wing configuration with a 7,250-kilogram maximum takeoff weight, 1,600-kilogram total payload, and high subsonic dash speeds. Designed with multirole weapon options and AI-enabled teaming concepts, ANKA III is intended to operate alongside KAAN or legacy fighters in coordinated strike or air defense suppression roles.
For helicopter missions, the T129 ATAK remains Turkish Aerospace’s proven rotary-wing solution. Powered by twin CTS800-4A engines, the two-crew platform mounts a turreted 20 millimeter cannon with 500 rounds, carries up to 16 anti-tank missiles, laser-guided rockets, and air-to-air missiles, and demonstrates a maximum cruise speed of 281 kilometers per hour. With three hours of endurance and strong high-hot high-performance, the T129 has earned a reputation for reliability through operational use. Recent export deliveries to the Philippines and contracts with Nigeria highlight its relevance for counterinsurgency and border security missions common across Africa.
Rounding out the portfolio, the Şimşek high-speed target drone offers essential training and electronic warfare realism for air defense units. With a wingspan of 1.6 meters, a length of 2.3 meters, and a maximum weight of 70 kilograms, Şimşek reaches 0.63 Mach, climbs to 25,000 feet, and endures for roughly 50 minutes with an operating radius of 700 kilometers. Its payload suite ranges from radar and infrared signature modifiers to chaff, flares, scoring systems, and electronic warfare trainers. Autonomous mission profiles and in-flight reprogramming support complex swarm and threat-simulation scenarios that are increasingly important for modern air forces.
Together, these systems allow Turkish Aerospace to enter EDEX 2025 not as a single-platform exhibitor but as a full-spectrum airpower provider. The combination of stealth fighters, advanced trainers, unmanned strike aircraft, attack helicopters, and sophisticated training targets gives regional militaries a coherent architecture for force modernization at a time when demand for integrated airpower solutions is rising across the Middle East and Africa.
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Turkish Aerospace opened EDEX 2025 with a full lineup of fighters, trainers, helicopters, and unmanned systems as Türkiye leads the largest national pavilion at the show. The broad portfolio signals Ankara’s effort to expand defense exports and deepen ties with Middle Eastern and African air forces.
Turkish Aerospace Industries arrived in Cairo for EDEX 2025 with a message that regional airpower modernization is moving fast and that Ankara intends to be a long-term supplier. Company officials highlighted renewed cooperation with Egyptian aerospace entities, ongoing technology transfer discussions, and a growing export pipeline that now exceeds three billion dollars in international contracts over five years. The company’s presence at the largest national pavilion reflects a strategic push by Türkiye to position its next-generation aircraft and UAVs as competitive alternatives for countries seeking modern capabilities without long procurement timelines.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Turkish Aerospace showcases its full airpower portfolio at EDEX 2025, highlighting the KAAN fifth-generation fighter, HÜRJET trainer, ANKA and ANKA III unmanned systems, T129 ATAK helicopter, and Şimşek target drone as the company strengthens its export presence across the Middle East and Africa (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).
For Egypt and regional air forces, Turkish Aerospace arrives in Cairo as a partner already familiar from earlier cooperation initiatives, including industrial-level discussions with Egyptian aerospace entities on joint production and technology transfer. That diplomatic warming has been paired with a broader surge in export activity. Company officials note that Turkish Aerospace has secured more than three billion dollars in international contracts over the past five years. ANKA UAVs have been delivered or ordered by several nations, AKSUNGUR drones are in service with two foreign customers, T129 ATAK helicopters have been exported to three countries, HÜRKUŞ trainers to two, and the Şimşek target drone has also entered overseas inventories. This momentum offers important context for the aircraft and systems being showcased in Cairo.
At the top of the company’s lineup stands KAAN, Türkiye’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter. The twin-engine aircraft carries a maximum takeoff weight of 34,750 kilograms and uses two 13,150 kgf-class engines to reach Mach 1.8 at 40,000 feet, with a service ceiling of 55,000 feet. Designed for low observability, KAAN integrates internal weapon bays, high-agility flight performance up to plus nine G, and an advanced avionics suite that fuses radar, electro-optical, and electronic support sensors. Large-area cockpit displays and a modern helmet-mounted sight complete a cockpit architecture intended to match Western fifth-generation designs. In 2025, Indonesia signed a landmark contract for 48 KAAN fighters, valued at roughly ten billion dollars, with final assembly arrangements and industrial cooperation built into the agreement. This milestone elevates KAAN’s export credibility and positions it as a serious candidate for future operators across the Middle East and Africa.
HÜRJET, the company’s advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft, anchors the mid-tier of the portfolio. The single-engine, tandem-seat aircraft carries up to 7,500 pounds of payload, reaches Mach 1.4, and operates at altitudes up to 45,000 feet while sustaining plus eight G. It is designed for lead-in fighter training, aggressor missions, close air support, and border security operations. Its selection by Spain for a program involving up to 45 aircraft underscores the platform’s growing relevance among NATO air forces seeking replacements for aging trainer fleets. At EDEX 2025, HÜRJET is one of Turkish Aerospace’s signature exhibits, signaling its readiness to compete directly with European and Asian manufacturers for regional training and light combat requirements.
In unmanned aviation, the ANKA family remains the company’s most mature and widely deployed segment. The baseline ANKA medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV delivers up to 30 hours of endurance, a 30,000-foot ceiling, and a payload capacity exceeding 350 kilograms. It carries EO/IR sensors, SAR and GMTI radar, electronic support and attack payloads, and precision munitions including guided bombs, rockets, and anti-tank missiles. Encrypted datalinks, SATCOM connectivity beyond 2,500 kilometers, and fully autonomous takeoff and landing round out its mission flexibility. The newer ANKA III introduces a stealth-oriented flying-wing configuration with a 7,250-kilogram maximum takeoff weight, 1,600-kilogram total payload, and high subsonic dash speeds. Designed with multirole weapon options and AI-enabled teaming concepts, ANKA III is intended to operate alongside KAAN or legacy fighters in coordinated strike or air defense suppression roles.
For helicopter missions, the T129 ATAK remains Turkish Aerospace’s proven rotary-wing solution. Powered by twin CTS800-4A engines, the two-crew platform mounts a turreted 20 millimeter cannon with 500 rounds, carries up to 16 anti-tank missiles, laser-guided rockets, and air-to-air missiles, and demonstrates a maximum cruise speed of 281 kilometers per hour. With three hours of endurance and strong high-hot high-performance, the T129 has earned a reputation for reliability through operational use. Recent export deliveries to the Philippines and contracts with Nigeria highlight its relevance for counterinsurgency and border security missions common across Africa.
Rounding out the portfolio, the Şimşek high-speed target drone offers essential training and electronic warfare realism for air defense units. With a wingspan of 1.6 meters, a length of 2.3 meters, and a maximum weight of 70 kilograms, Şimşek reaches 0.63 Mach, climbs to 25,000 feet, and endures for roughly 50 minutes with an operating radius of 700 kilometers. Its payload suite ranges from radar and infrared signature modifiers to chaff, flares, scoring systems, and electronic warfare trainers. Autonomous mission profiles and in-flight reprogramming support complex swarm and threat-simulation scenarios that are increasingly important for modern air forces.
Together, these systems allow Turkish Aerospace to enter EDEX 2025 not as a single-platform exhibitor but as a full-spectrum airpower provider. The combination of stealth fighters, advanced trainers, unmanned strike aircraft, attack helicopters, and sophisticated training targets gives regional militaries a coherent architecture for force modernization at a time when demand for integrated airpower solutions is rising across the Middle East and Africa.
