T625 GÖKBEY vs UH-60M Black Hawk: Two Utility Helicopters, Two Mission Concepts
Setting the T625 GÖKBEY against the UH-60M Black Hawk produces an unusual picture: both helicopters are entering Turkish government service, and both come off TUSAŞ’s line at Kahramankazan near Ankara. GÖKBEY is an original Turkish design; the T70 is a licence-built version of Sikorsky’s S-70i Black Hawk. The real question is not which one wins, but why one country is fielding two utility helicopters at the same time.
The numbers draw the line. TUSAŞ gives GÖKBEY a 6,050 kg maximum take-off weight, 297 km/h cruise and 740 km range, carrying two crew and twelve passengers. Lockheed Martin gives the UH-60M a 9,979 kg gross weight, twelve combat-equipped troops and 4,080 kg of internal or external load. Same seat count, different weight class.
Why these two helicopters
The utility helicopter is the workhorse of any army or police air wing. It moves troops, evacuates casualties, lifts loads on a hook, drops water on fires and pulls lost hikers off mountains. The Black Hawk has been the benchmark in the medium segment for four decades; Lockheed Martin says Sikorsky has built more than 5,000 HAWK-family aircraft for 36 countries and the fleet has passed 15 million flight hours.
Türkiye enters this market by two routes. The T70 programme, according to TUSAŞ, covers 109 S-70i-derived helicopters for the Army, Air Force, Special Forces, Gendarmerie, National Police and General Directorate of Forestry. GÖKBEY is the clean-sheet alternative in the 6-tonne class. Where Lockheed Martin does not publish a UH-60M value, this article uses TUSAŞ’s T70 figures and says so row by row.
T625 GÖKBEY: six tonnes and a civil type certificate
TUSAŞ’s data sheet gives a 1.1 m³ cargo volume, 1,020 kg of standard fuel plus a 280 kg auxiliary tank, 740 km of range (948 km with the tank), more than 3.8 hours of endurance and a 6,096 m service ceiling. The published powerplant is a pair of LHTEC CTS800-4AT turboshafts at 1,024 kW each.
The engine is where the programme’s ambitions sit. The national TEI-TS1400 first flew in GÖKBEY on 22 April 2023, and the contract SSB signed with TUSAŞ at IDEF 2025 calls for 57 helicopters in the TS1400 configuration, delivered between 2028 and 2031: 15 for the police, 14 for the gendarmerie, 11 for the Air Force, 8 for the Army, 6 for the Coast Guard and 3 for the Navy. Then came the regulatory milestone. On 16 March 2026 the Directorate General of Civil Aviation handed TUSAŞ the T625 type certificate after a ten-year process involving more than 180 certification tests and roughly 18,000 flight test points — the first rotary-wing type certificate issued in Türkiye.
TS1400 take-off and one-engine-inoperative power ratings are not in the table. Figures circulating in open sources do not carry a manufacturer signature, so they were left out.
UH-60M and T70: the ten-tonne reference
The UH-60M is the current US Army production standard. Lockheed Martin describes it by its 22,000 lb gross weight, twelve combat-equipped troops and 9,000 lb of internal or external load, powered by twin GE T700-series turboshafts. The company says its BLACK HAWK NEXT upgrade path aims at 50 percent more power.
The T70 is the Turkish branch of the same tree. TUSAŞ lists 19.76 m length, a 16.36 m main rotor, 9,980 kg MTOW, 296 km/h cruise and hover ceilings of 4,572 m in ground effect and 3,353 m out of it. The work share defines the programme: TUSAŞ builds the cabin, cockpit, tail cone and rotors and handles final assembly; ASELSAN co-developed the IMAS cockpit with Sikorsky; TEI builds the engine; Alp Aviation supplies gearboxes and landing gear. TUSAŞ states that all helicopters under contract have been delivered, but no signed figure confirms whether that covers the full 109, and this article does not guess.
Where the mission concepts diverge
That both aircraft carry twelve passengers yet sit four tonnes apart tells the design story. The Black Hawk was born of a 1970s US Army air-assault requirement: land a fully equipped infantry squad under fire, carry a howitzer on the hook, absorb hits and keep flying. Its 4,080 kg external load is that doctrine in numbers.
GÖKBEY answers a public-service brief — gendarmerie patrols, police work over cities, air ambulance, forestry firefighting, offshore transfers. For those jobs a 10-tonne airframe is more than needed; what matters is operating cost, civil certification and a modern glass cockpit. Operating both types is therefore not a contradiction but a layered fleet: licence production for the heavy tactical tier, original design for the lighter public tier.
Where each design concentrates (qualitative)
The numbers side by side
| Criterion | T625 GÖKBEY | UH-60M Black Hawk / T70 |
|---|---|---|
| Class / role | 6-tonne light-medium utility; transport, VIP, cargo, ambulance, SAR, offshore, firefighting (TUSAŞ) | 10-tonne medium utility / air assault; troop lift, medevac, sling load, SAR |
| Designer / origin | TUSAŞ, original design / Türkiye | Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin) / USA; T70 built under licence by TUSAŞ, S-70i-based |
| Length | 15.87 m | T70 per TUSAŞ: 19.76 m |
| Main rotor diameter | 13.20 m | T70 per TUSAŞ: 16.36 m |
| Max take-off weight | 6,050 kg (13,337 lb) | UH-60M: 9,979 kg (22,000 lb); T70: 9,980 kg |
| Engines | 2× LHTEC CTS800-4AT, 2× 1,024 kW (TUSAŞ); TS1400 configuration contracted — manufacturer power rating: no verified figure is published in open sources | 2× GE T700-GE-701D; TEI-built T70-TEI-701D on T70 — manufacturer shaft power: no verified figure is published in open sources |
| Crew / passengers | 2 + 12 | 2 + 12 combat-equipped troops |
| Payload | 1.1 m³ cargo volume; external hook load: no verified figure is published in open sources | 4,080 kg (9,000 lb) internal or external (Lockheed Martin) |
| Max cruise speed | 297 km/h (160 kt) | T70 per TUSAŞ: 296 km/h (160 kt) |
| Range | 740 km; 948 km with auxiliary tank | UH-60M manufacturer figure: no verified figure is published in open sources |
| Endurance | 3.8+ h; 5+ h with auxiliary tank | no verified figure is published in open sources |
| Service ceiling | 6,096 m | T70 per TUSAŞ: 6,096 m; HOGE 3,353 m |
| Avionics | TUSAŞ four-axis autopilot, large touchscreens, IFR and Category A | UH-60M digital cockpit; ASELSAN–Sikorsky IMAS on T70 |
| Certification | Civil type certificate, 16 March 2026 | Military platform; civil S-70 variants certified separately |
| Fleet / orders | 8 delivered to users (Sept 2026); 57 more on 2025 contract | 5,000+ HAWK-family aircraft in 36 countries; T70 programme 109 aircraft |
| Unit cost | no verified figure is published in open sources | DSCA packages include training and support; bare unit price: no verified figure is published in open sources |
Sources: TUSAŞ, Lockheed Martin, DSCA, SSB, DGCA. “no verified figure is published in open sources” marks values without a manufacturer or official signature.
Operators and track record
The Black Hawk’s operator list is an argument in itself. Recent DSCA notifications alone include a UH-60M package for Greece estimated at $1.95 billion, twelve aircraft for Austria at about $1 billion, eight for Croatia at $500 million and, in September 2026, UH-60L aircraft for Argentina. Those totals bundle training, spares and support, so they do not yield a clean unit price.
GÖKBEY’s list is short and domestic. The first series aircraft went to the Gendarmerie General Command on 29 October 2024, the Army received its first on 30 April 2026 and the National Police took delivery on 2 September 2026 — the eighth GÖKBEY handed to users. No export customer has been announced, though the civil type certificate opens a path to commercial and foreign operators.
Strengths and limitations
Where the Black Hawk / T70 stands out
- Air assault under fire and heavy sling loads
- Four decades of combat use, a mature logistics chain and a shared NATO standard
- Through the T70, cabin, avionics and engine production located in Türkiye
Where GÖKBEY stands out
- Six-tonne operating economics for police, ambulance, SAR and firefighting work
- A civil type certificate that lets one platform serve government and commercial users
- Design authority and export decisions held in Ankara
Limitations
- GÖKBEY: no signed data on external load or ballistic protection; TS1400 deliveries not before 2028; no export record yet
- Black Hawk / T70: design authority and export licensing sit with Sikorsky and Washington; Lockheed Martin does not publish UH-60M speed, range or ceiling figures
What this means for Türkiye
Türkiye sits on both sides of this table. The T70 programme gave Turkish industry the experience of producing a Black Hawk’s cabin, cockpit, rotors, avionics and engine; GÖKBEY adds design authority on top. The 2025 contract makes the difference concrete: 57 helicopters with a TEI engine, and Ankara decides who they can be sold to. The trade-off is time — the Black Hawk has been in service since 1979, while GÖKBEY’s first national-engine delivery is targeted for 2028.
Assessment
GÖKBEY and the UH-60M carry the same number of passengers but sit a weight class and a doctrine apart. The Black Hawk is the global reference for 10-tonne air-assault utility; GÖKBEY is a civil-certified 6-tonne platform built for public-service aviation.
Because Türkiye builds both, the comparison is less a rivalry than a map of a two-tier fleet. On external load, combat record and user base the Black Hawk’s scale decides; on civil certification and design sovereignty GÖKBEY’s profile stands out. A fuller verdict will have to wait until the TS1400-powered batch is delivered and flight hours accumulate.
Are GÖKBEY and the Black Hawk in the same class?
No. TUSAŞ’s official data gives the T625 GÖKBEY a maximum take-off weight of 6,050 kg; Lockheed Martin lists the UH-60M at 9,979 kg (22,000 lb). The gap is roughly four tonnes. Both carry two crew and twelve passengers, so the difference shows up in cabin volume, external load and installed power rather than in seat count.
What is the T70?
The T70 is the Turkish licence-built derivative of Sikorsky’s S-70i Black Hawk. According to TUSAŞ, the programme covers 109 helicopters. TUSAŞ is prime contractor and final assembler, ASELSAN developed the IMAS integrated modular avionics cockpit with Sikorsky, TEI builds the T70-TEI-701D engine and Alp Aviation supplies landing gear and dynamic components.
Why does Türkiye build both?
Because they answer different requirements. The T70 covers the Army’s and Special Forces’ 10-tonne tactical transport need. GÖKBEY is aimed at the gendarmerie, police, health ministry and civil operators in the 6-tonne class; TUSAŞ lists transport, VIP, cargo, air ambulance, search and rescue, offshore and firefighting as its roles.
Is GÖKBEY’s engine domestic?
Increasingly. TUSAŞ’s product page lists two LHTEC CTS800-4AT turboshafts rated at 1,024 kW (1,373 shp) each. The national TEI-TS1400 engine first flew in GÖKBEY on 22 April 2023, and the 57-aircraft contract signed by Türkiye’s Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) at IDEF 2025 specifies the TS1400 configuration, with deliveries planned from 2028 to 2031.
Does GÖKBEY have civil certification?
Yes. Türkiye’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation handed the T625 type certificate to TUSAŞ on 16 March 2026, ending a process that began with the application of 23 March 2016. It is the first type certificate issued in Türkiye for a rotary-wing aircraft.
Which is the better helicopter?
The question has no useful answer in that form. The Black Hawk is the reference platform of the medium class, with four decades of combat use and 36 operator countries. GÖKBEY is a lighter, civil-certified design owned outright by Türkiye. They address different mission concepts.
Related reading
- GÖKBEY search and rescue variant: hoist and searchlight
- GÖKBEY air ambulance: stretcher and intensive care fit
- US approves UH-60L Black Hawk sale to Argentina
- İstif class vs FREMM: two multi-mission frigates
- TAYFUN vs Iskander-M: range, accuracy and combat record
- SİPER vs Patriot PAC-3: two air defence systems compared
- KAAN vs Chengdu J-20: two fifth-generation programmes
Defence comparisons from Envanter Medya
System-by-system comparisons built on manufacturer and official sources, with unverified figures left blank rather than estimated.
Sources and verification note
- TUSAŞ — T625 GÖKBEY official product page — 15.87 m length; 13.20 m main rotor; 6,050 kg MTOW; 2 crew + 12 passengers; 740 km range (948 km with auxiliary tank); 297 km/h max cruise; 6,096 m service ceiling; 2× LHTEC CTS800-4AT
- TUSAŞ — T70 utility helicopter official product page — S-70i-based; 109 aircraft; industrial work share; 19.76 m length; 16.36 m rotor; 9,980 kg MTOW; 296 km/h; HIGE 4,572 m, HOGE 3,353 m
- Lockheed Martin — UH-60M BLACK HAWK — 22,000 lb max gross weight; 12 combat-equipped troops; 9,000 lb internal or external load; fleet past 15 million flight hours
- Lockheed Martin — BLACK HAWK family — Twin GE T700 turboshafts; more than 5,000 HAWK-family aircraft built for 36 countries
- DSCA — UH-60M foreign military sale notifications — Greece (est. $1.95 bn), Austria (12 aircraft, about $1 bn), Croatia (8 aircraft, $500 m); Argentina UH-60L (September 2026)
- Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) — IDEF 2025 GÖKBEY contract — 57 helicopters in TS1400 configuration; deliveries 2028–2031; split across police, gendarmerie, air force, army, coast guard and navy
- Directorate General of Civil Aviation — T625 type certificate (16 March 2026) — First rotary-wing type certificate issued in Türkiye; application 23 March 2016
This comparison uses manufacturer sources (TUSAŞ, Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky) and official institutional sources (SSB, DSCA, Türkiye’s DGCA). Turkish defence news sites were not used. Values without a manufacturer or official signature were left out of the table.
Editor’s note: this is a comparison of mission concepts, not a superiority ranking. The Black Hawk column combines Lockheed Martin’s UH-60M data with TUSAŞ’s T70 data, and each row states which source a figure comes from. GÖKBEY’s engine data refers to the published CTS800-4AT configuration; the TS1400 version had not been delivered at publication. Technical data reflects open sources as of publication and may change.
