The news agency Defense Express, quoting the ProZorro public procurement platform, reported that SE Ivchenko-Progress signed a number of contracts for the purchase of cutting-edge aircraft engine components for the new AI-35 turbojet engines that will equip new Turkish cruise missiles.
SE Ivchenko-Progress designed the AI-35 engine family to power high-speed unmanned aircraft systems and advanced cruise missiles.
Read more: Combat ‘TURTLE’ and its related siblings
According to the news agency, the AI-35 engines should be delivered to Turkey, where they are going to be used in the production of new cruise missiles. Relevant information, in December last year, during a visit to the enterprise of the former Minister of Economy, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine Tymofiy Milovanov, said the director of the enterprise Igor Kravchenko.
“We make AI-35 for the Turks. This is for a cruise missile. Now we have a contract signed for this engine,” said the director of Ivchenko-Progress during the presentation of new projects.
Currently, Turkey is developing a new cruise missile under the Gezgin program. Information from the open sources has indicated that new missiles will be similar to U.S.-made Tomahawk and will have a modular design.
The Gezgin project is designed to develop conventional long-range strike capabilities for naval platforms. This new missile is thought to have a range capability of approximately 1,000 kilometers.
Read more: How to counteract Russian hybrid hostile actions: case of Ukraine
