{"id":59938,"date":"2018-11-27T15:01:52","date_gmt":"2018-11-27T15:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/11\/27\/progress-on-drone-vehicle-engines-signals-turkeys-independence-from-foreign-suppliers\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:18:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:18:59","slug":"progress-on-drone-vehicle-engines-signals-turkeys-independence-from-foreign-suppliers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/industry\/techwatch\/2018\/11\/27\/progress-on-drone-vehicle-engines-signals-turkeys-independence-from-foreign-suppliers\/","title":{"rendered":"Progress on drone, vehicle engines signals Turkey\u2019s independence from foreign suppliers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ANKARA, Turkey \u2014 Two Turkish companies have consecutively reported significant progress toward building indigenous engines that would power locally made drones and armored vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

State-controlled company Tusas Engine Industries, or TEI, announced the completion of a program for the design, development and production of an indigenous engine that will power the Anka, a medium-altitude, long-endurance drone developed by TEI\u2019s sister company, Turkish Aerospace Industries, or TAI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TEI said it successfully integrated the PD170 engine to the Anka drone. The Anka, with the PD170, will go through flight tests later this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TEI officials said the company already signed a serial production contract with TAI. The next step will be to win certification for the engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TEI\u2019s general manager, Mahmut Ak\u015fit, said the PD170 program aims to end Turkey\u2019s dependency on foreign engine suppliers<\/a>. \u201cA further aspect of the program will be exporting the PD170 to foreign countries,\u201d Ak\u015fit said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2012, TEI signed a contract with Turkey\u2019s procurement authority, then Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (now Presidency of Defense Industries), for the development of the PD170.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TEI has a partnership agreement with U.S.-based General Electric<\/a>. Turkish procurement authorities recently announced the selection of GE for the supply of engines to power the initial batch of the TF-X, Turkey\u2019s indigenous fighter jet in the making. The twin-engine TF-X will be powered by either the F110-GE-129 or the F110-GE-132 engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkish officials say the GE engine would be a stopgap solution until \u201cwe have built our indigenous engine for the TF-X.\u201d Under the deal, the first prototype of the TF-X and an unknown number of initial batches would be powered by an F110 engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The twin-engine TF-X will be powered by the F110-GE-129, left, or the F110-GE-132 engine.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Turkey previously had problems in supplying engines for the Anka when a European country refused to collaborate on a joint engine program due to export restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2.1-liter turbo-diesel PD170 can produce 170 horsepower at 20,000 feet, and 130 horsepower at 30,000 feet. It can generate power at a maximum altitude of 40,000 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Facing asymmetrical security threats, Turkey increasingly relies on a strategy to enrich its inventory of UAVs.<\/p>\n\n\n\t