UPDATE – Turkey names 1st indigenous multirole helicopter Gokbey

<p>UPDATE WITH MORE COMMENTS FROM PRESIDENT ERDOGAN</p> <p>By Gokhan Ergocun</p> <p>ISTANBUL (AA) – The name of Turkey's first indigenous multirole helicopter T625 is “Gokbey”, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday.</p> <p>&quot;We successfully carried Turkey to a growth spurt [in the defense field],&quot; Erdogan said at the Turkish Defense Industry Summit in capital Ankara.</p> <p>The T625 is a new generation, twin engine, six-ton class helicopter developed in response to a growing market demand, according to the Turkish Aircraft Industries Corporation.</p> <p>Erdogan noted that the indigenous battle tank — developed with new technologies — would be available to Turkish Armed Forces.</p> <p>&quot;Indigenous Kasirga, Bora and Som missiles are now in the mass production phase and our works are continuing for new models,&quot; he added.</p> <p>The president also said that Turkey will get an upper hand by producing indigenous long-range missiles of which test-fires have been completed.</p> <p>&quot;We will not stop until Turkey can develop and produce all the strategic needs of the defense industry,&quot; Erdogan stressed.</p> <p>Turkey pursues 650 defense industry projects worth total of $60 billion, he said. </p> <p>On Turkey's another indigenous aircraft, he said Turkey will improve combat helicopter Atak and the country's efforts to develop indigenous warplane are ongoing.</p> <p>&quot;Having money based only on natural resources or trade doesn't guarantee your freedom if you haven't reached a certain level in the defense industry,&quot; he asserted.</p> <p>Saying that Turkish private sector produced unmanned and armed air vehicles, he underlined it will go further and produce more powerful ones.</p>