T625 is a multi-purpose helicopter currently being developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the Turkish Armed Forces, as part of the Turkish Original Helicopter Programme.
Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) signed a contract with TAI in September 2013, to develop an indigenous light multi-mission helicopter to meet general-purpose helicopter requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces and civilian authorities.
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A prototype of the T625 was unveiled at the International Defence Industry Fair held in May 2017. The helicopter will undergo certification and qualification phases in 2018, while its maiden flight is scheduled for September 2018 and serial production is expected to commence in 2021.
The helicopter is designed according to the aviation standards set by the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) and Turkish General Directorate of Civil Aviation (SHGM). It is intended for missions such as search-and-rescue, troop/cargo transportation, utility, VIP, transshipment, and medical evacuation.
T625 design and technical specifications
Turkish T625 multi-purpose helicopter measures 15.87m-long and has a maximum take-off weight of 6,050kg. It is equipped with a five-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor, designed to improve aerodynamic performance.
The helicopter is operated by a crew of two and can accommodate up to 12 passengers in its spacious cabin, which can be configured to meet a wide range of mission needs. Its baggage compartment volume is 1.1m³.
A full icing protection system is installed to allow for safe operation of the helicopter in icing conditions.
Outfitted with retractable type landing gears, the helicopter can make safe landing on uneven terrain conditions.
Cockpit and avionics
The T625 helicopter comes with a full glass cockpit system, which is optimised to offer superior comfort and high visibility for the crew.
The cockpit is equipped with Aselsan avionics, including two wide touchscreen-integrated mission displays with a screen size of 8in x 20in, two 8in x 10in data entry touch command control units, airborne radios, an inertial navigation system, and a thermal imaging system.
It also incorporates a state-of-the-art, four-axis, dual redundant automatic flight control system to improve helicopter stability and handling, while reducing the pilot workload.
Propulsion
Power for the T625 prototype comes from a pair of LHTEC CTS800-4A turboshaft engines rated at 1,024kW each. The production unit will, however, be powered by two TS1400 turboshaft engines, which are being developed indigenously by Tusas Engine Industries (TEI).
Performance of T625
The Turkish multi-mission helicopter has a maximum cruising speed of 306km/h and a service ceiling of 6,096m. With a 1,020kg standard fuel tank, the helicopter can travel to a range of more than 740km and endure for up to three hours and 48 minutes.
The addition of a 280kg external fuel tank increases the helicopter’s endurance to five hours and range to 948km.
The helicopter has the ability to withstand adverse climatic, high altitude and high temperature conditions both during the day and at night. Designed to meet Category-A standard, T625 can operate safely in the event of failure of one engine.
It is also capable of performing instrument flight rules (IFR) and visual flight rules (VFR) single pilot operations.
Contractors involved with the Turkish helicopter programme
Spanish company CESA was contracted by TAI to design, develop, qualify, and produce the hydraulic power system, comprising two independent systems, for the T625 helicopter. The systems will be used to supply flow and pressure to the landing gear, as well as the flight-control servo actuators.
Quantum3D, a provider of simulation and training services based in the US, won a contract from TAI in May 2017 to provide image generation technology for the helicopter’s flight simulator.
Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC), a partnership between Honeywell International and Rolls-Royce, was responsible for supplying CTS800 engines for the T625 prototype.
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