TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK
The TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK is a twin-engine, tandem seat, multi-role, all-weather attack helicopter based on the Agusta A129 Mangusta platform. It was developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in partnership with Leonardo S.p.A. The helicopter is designed for armed reconnaissance and attack missions in hot and high environments and rough geography in both day and night conditions.
| T129 ATAK | |
|---|---|
| Role | Attack helicopter |
| National origin | Italy / Turkey |
| Manufacturer | Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) |
| Design group | Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) / AgustaWestland (Leonardo from 2017) |
| First flight | 28 September 2009 |
| Introduction | 2014 |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | Turkish Army Gendarmerie General Command General Directorate of Security (Turkey) Philippine Air Force |
| Produced | 2009–present |
| Number built | 78 (+7 prototypes) (December 2022) |
| Developed from | Agusta A129 Mangusta |
| Developed into | TAI T929 ATAK 2 |
The ATAK programme was begun to meet the requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces for an armed tactical reconnaissance and attack helicopter. The T129 is the result of the integration of Turkish-developed avionics, airframe modifications, and weapon systems onto the AgustaWestland A129 airframe, with upgraded engines, transmission and rotor blades. It is in use by the Turkish Army and other services including the Turkish Gendarmerie. The helicopter has a unit cost of roughly US$50 million.