The Turkish defence industry continues unabated in integrating national aerial platforms into the naval environment. TAI and ARMELSAN officially signed a strategic contract at the SAHA EXPO 2026 fair. The parties held a major cooperation ceremony for the integration of the ORKUN-2053 Dipping Sonar onto the GÖKBEY general purpose helicopter. This critical development clearly shows that the platform will not be limited to land missions. TAI engineers are specifically preparing GÖKBEY for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) missions.
Dipping Sonar and ASW Capability for GÖKBEY
Helicopter dipping sonars constitute the most critical sensor components of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). Enemy submarines move silently like ghosts in the depths of the waters. Standard ship radars or electro-optical cameras cannot physically see these underwater threats. ARMELSAN engineers developed the ORKUN-2053 sonar system to overcome this physical obstacle.
Looking at the operational scenario, we see extremely challenging engineering. The GÖKBEY helicopter lowers this sonar system into the depths of the sea via a cable while hovering stationary over the sea. When operating in active mode, the system emits acoustic waves to pinpoint the location of submarines hiding in the depths. Furthermore, in passive listening mode, the sonar captures the engine and propeller sounds of enemy platforms from very long distances. All this seismic data obtained is instantly transmitted to the mother ship via the helicopter's avionics systems. Thanks to this advanced technology, GÖKBEY transforms from a mere transport helicopter into the navy's sharp ears in the sky.
The New Guardian of the Naval Forces
For many years, the Turkish Naval Forces used foreign-origin platforms for submarine hunting missions. Our country currently carries out these critical missions with US-made SeaHawk (S-70B) helicopters. However, the maintenance and modernisation of these platforms can sometimes create strategic bottlenecks due to foreign dependency.
The TAI and ARMELSAN partnership is fundamentally solving this chronic logistical problem. The development of the naval variant of the GÖKBEY platform will add tremendous power to the operational flexibility of the Turkish navy. These domestic helicopters, capable of landing on indigenous ships such as MİLGEM corvettes, İ-Class frigates, TF-2000 air defence destroyers, and TCG ANADOLU, will protect the security of the Blue Homeland entirely with national equipment.
A Fully Independent Blue Homeland
These strategic signatures made at the SAHA EXPO 2026 fair are initiating a brand new technological era in Turkish naval aviation. TAI and ARMELSAN are combining their immense powers in platform and sub-system production with flawless synergy.
The physical integration of the ORKUN-2053 dipping sonar onto GÖKBEY and the over-water flight tests will gain momentum. With the integration of domestic lightweight torpedoes (e.g., ORKA) onto GÖKBEY's underwing stations, the system will become even more lethal. With all these integrations realised, the GÖKBEY helicopter will transform into a fully independent naval power that hunts submarines with its own sonar and strikes them with its own torpedo.
