Türkiye’s TAI unveils expansion and export plans at Egypt aviation exhibition
Turkiye's first domestically produced jet-powered supersonic trainer aircraft, the 'Hurjet,' is seen as preparations continue for its show on the second day of the Egypt International Airshow in Alexandria, Egypt, on September 4, 2024. (AA Photo)
Mehmet Demiroglu, General Manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), made important statements at the Egyptian International Aviation Exhibition held at the International El Alamein Airport near Alexandria, Egypt. According to Demiroglu, the exhibition’s organization was successful, and they held extensive meetings with the Egyptian Air Force and other officials about current and potential projects.
Demiroglu said that they aim to further expand TAI’s presence in Egypt. “It may be simple to open an office in Egypt, but we hope that we have plans to go further, even to establish a factory in the future,” he said. Demiroglu emphasized that this goal aims to establish TAI’s presence in Egypt at a higher level.
TAI’s efforts for export of Hurjet
Demiroglu stated that work on the export of the Hurjet trainer aircraft is ongoing. “We’d like to sell the Hurjet to our allies.” he stated
“We are here for this purpose, our work is ongoing,” he said. Demiroglu expressed their hope that an agreement in this regard would be reached in a short time.
Demiroglu emphasized that Africa has a high market potential. “Africa is a developing market and has a high growth potential, which our President showed us as a target 10 years ago,” he said. Drawing attention to the importance of Egypt in the African continent and strong historical relations, Demiroglu stated that Egypt is a strategic country for this reason. He explained that they were very pleased to participate in the fair, and that their future work will continue.
Importance of Kaan and Egypt’s participation
Stating that Kaan is a critical project for Türkiye and friendly countries, Demiroglu said: “We see Kaan as a joint project not only for TAI but also for Türkiye and friendly countries. We made our first flight, and we will continue flights with two platforms next year.” Moreover, Demiroglu expressed enthusiasm for Egypt’s involvement in the project.
Hurjet demonstration flight
During the exhibition, TAI’s Hurjet trainer aircraft performed its third demonstration flight with TAI test pilot Orhan Boran and Egyptian F-16 pilot Ahmed Elmallah. Elmallah stated that flying the Hurjet was an excellent experience for him and expressed his immense excitement for the cooperation between the Turkish and Egyptian air forces.
Elmallah expressed his positive outlook on the Hurjet’s performance, predicting further development of the aircraft in the future.
