The TAI T129 is an attack helicopter based on Agusta's A129 Mangusta. The T129 is a development of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in partnership with AgustaWestland.
The ATAK programme was designed to meet the Turkish Armed Forces' requirements for an attack and tactical reconnaissance helicopter. The T129 is the result of the integration of Turkish avionics and weapons systems into the combat proven AgustaA129 airframe, with upgraded engines, transmission and rotor blades. It is in use by the Turkish Army, and is being offered to other international defence forces.
Turkey announced on 30 March 2007 that it had entered negotiations with AgustaWestland to co-develop 51 attack helicopters (with 40 options) based on the Agusta A129 Mangusta. The helicopter was to be assembled in Turkey by Turkish Aerospace Industries as the T-129. A contract was signed on 7 September 2007 worth $1.2 billion. Turkey's attack helicopter project is named "ATAK".
On 22 June 2008, the agreement between TAI and AgustaWestland formally entered into force. Under the agreement, TAI developed an indigenous mission computer, avionics, weapons systems, self-protection suites and the helmet-mountied cuing systems. Tusaş Engine Industries (TEI) manufactured the LHTEC CTS800-4N engines under licence. Under the agreement, Turkey has full marketing and intellectual property rights for the T-129 platform and may export or transfer the platform to third party countries, excluding Italy and the United Kingdom.
The T129 was optimized for hot and high conditions. It has several key improvements over the original A129 inline with the requirements of the Turkish Army. The T129 will carry 12 Roketsan-developed UMTAS anti-tank missiles (a Turkish indigenous development similar to Hellfire II) and will use the more powerful LHTEC T800 (CTS800-4) engine.
The T129 features a 20 mm Gatling-style cannon in a nose turret. It can carry a combination of 70 mm rocket pods, Stinger air-air missile pods, and gun pods on its stub wing pylons.
On 16 July 2007, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Meteksan Savunma Sanayii AŞ and Bilkent University formed a consortium for the development of an advanced millimetre wave radar (MILDAR), similar to the Longbow and the IAI/ELTA radars and which project was successfully completed in February 2012.
A media report indicates that one helicopter will be kept by the Turkish Ministry of Defense and used as a test-bed for systems development. The remaining 50 helicopters will be delivered to the Turkish Army. An optional 40 more T129 helicopters will be produced as required. These 50 T129s are to be designated T129B.
On 28 September 2009, the T129's maiden flight took placed when prototype P1 flew at AgustaWestland's facilities in Vergiate, Italy.
In November 2010, Turkey ordered an additional nine T129 helicopters to increase its total ordered to 60. These T129's were scheduled to meet operational requirements for the Turkish Army and to be completed by TAI for delivery in 2012, one year before the start of delivery the previously ordered 51 helicopters. These T129s are designated T129A, as they lack advanced anti-tank missiles. As a result of project delays, the T129As entered service in 2014.
The first 9 T129's delivered to the Turkish Army
T129's in flight
The ATAK programme was designed to meet the Turkish Armed Forces' requirements for an attack and tactical reconnaissance helicopter. The T129 is the result of the integration of Turkish avionics and weapons systems into the combat proven AgustaA129 airframe, with upgraded engines, transmission and rotor blades. It is in use by the Turkish Army, and is being offered to other international defence forces.
Turkey announced on 30 March 2007 that it had entered negotiations with AgustaWestland to co-develop 51 attack helicopters (with 40 options) based on the Agusta A129 Mangusta. The helicopter was to be assembled in Turkey by Turkish Aerospace Industries as the T-129. A contract was signed on 7 September 2007 worth $1.2 billion. Turkey's attack helicopter project is named "ATAK".
On 22 June 2008, the agreement between TAI and AgustaWestland formally entered into force. Under the agreement, TAI developed an indigenous mission computer, avionics, weapons systems, self-protection suites and the helmet-mountied cuing systems. Tusaş Engine Industries (TEI) manufactured the LHTEC CTS800-4N engines under licence. Under the agreement, Turkey has full marketing and intellectual property rights for the T-129 platform and may export or transfer the platform to third party countries, excluding Italy and the United Kingdom.
The T129 was optimized for hot and high conditions. It has several key improvements over the original A129 inline with the requirements of the Turkish Army. The T129 will carry 12 Roketsan-developed UMTAS anti-tank missiles (a Turkish indigenous development similar to Hellfire II) and will use the more powerful LHTEC T800 (CTS800-4) engine.
The T129 features a 20 mm Gatling-style cannon in a nose turret. It can carry a combination of 70 mm rocket pods, Stinger air-air missile pods, and gun pods on its stub wing pylons.
On 16 July 2007, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Meteksan Savunma Sanayii AŞ and Bilkent University formed a consortium for the development of an advanced millimetre wave radar (MILDAR), similar to the Longbow and the IAI/ELTA radars and which project was successfully completed in February 2012.
A media report indicates that one helicopter will be kept by the Turkish Ministry of Defense and used as a test-bed for systems development. The remaining 50 helicopters will be delivered to the Turkish Army. An optional 40 more T129 helicopters will be produced as required. These 50 T129s are to be designated T129B.
On 28 September 2009, the T129's maiden flight took placed when prototype P1 flew at AgustaWestland's facilities in Vergiate, Italy.
In November 2010, Turkey ordered an additional nine T129 helicopters to increase its total ordered to 60. These T129's were scheduled to meet operational requirements for the Turkish Army and to be completed by TAI for delivery in 2012, one year before the start of delivery the previously ordered 51 helicopters. These T129s are designated T129A, as they lack advanced anti-tank missiles. As a result of project delays, the T129As entered service in 2014.
The first 9 T129's delivered to the Turkish Army
T129's in flight