Turkey’s Kale, Rolls-Royce To Produce TF-X Fighter Jet Engines

Turkey's Kale group will a launch a joint venture with UK's Rolls-Royce to develop and manufacture engines for fighter jet TF-X that is being developed locally.

The joint venture will be established by Kale and Rolls-Royce with 51 percent and 49 percent shares, respectively, Daily Sabah reported Monday.

Kale Group aims to develop jet engines for civilian and military use, especially for the Turkey's domestically-built fighter jet project TF-X.

Rolls-Royce previously declared its interest in the TF-X project, and the company CEO Warren East visited Turkey in October 2016 for the company's possible role in the project.

The TF-X project has turned to be of crucial importance in replacing the ageing F-16 fighter jets, which form the backbone of Turkish Air Force. The first batch of the jets are expected to be delivered by 2023.

Kale is already in a partnership with US aerospace giant Pratt & Whitney and the joint venture produces F-135 engine parts of F-35 fighter jets.

Group company Kale Aviation also supplies structural parts and sub-assembly services to civilian and military aviation giants including Boeing, Airbus, Spirit, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.

The TAI TFX is a twin-engine, all-weather fifth-generation Turkish aerial superiority fighter jet being developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) with technological assistance from BAE Systems of the United Kingdom.

The aircraft is scheduled to replace the Turkish Air Force's F-16s and is being planned to be offered to foreign air forces as well. The project is one of many ongoing military projects in Turkey.