Spain to procure Türkiye’s Hurjet trainer aircraft
TAI Hurjet on Ankara, Türkiye. (AA Photo)
Türkiye and Spain have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation on the Hurjet Trainer Aircraft project.
The announcement came after Hurjet’s demonstration flight in Spain for the Spanish Air Force and strengthening defense ties between the two NATO allies and confirms Spain’s interest in procuring Turkish Aerospace Industries’ (TAI) Hurjet.
A milestone in Türkiye’s defense export strategy
Prof. Dr. Haluk Gorgun, Secretary of the Turkish Defence Industries (SSB), underlined the significance of the agreement. “We continue to strengthen our cooperation with our allies in the defense industry and share our national and domestic technologies with friendly countries,” Gorgun stated on social media.
The agreement comes after the Spanish Air Force’s detailed evaluation of the Hurjet earlier this year. In July, a Hurjet prototype landed at Torrejon Air Base near Madrid, marking its first visit to a foreign air force.
A Spanish delegation later visited Ankara to further inspect the aircraft’s capabilities.
Today, we are proud to witness another historic step in the defense industry. The Memorandum of Understanding that will form the basis of our cooperation with our old NATO ally Spain on the Jet Training Aircraft Project was signed between our Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and the Spanish Ministry of Defense.
This important agreement is an indication of Türkiye’s goal of developing independent technologies, as well as a sign of strong cooperation with friendly and allied countries.
I wholeheartedly congratulate all our SSB units who worked hard for this process full of success, the valuable team of our TAI, our Ambassador to Madrid and our Turkish Armed Forces Attaché who attended the ceremony on behalf of our Presidency.
Secretary of Turkish Defence Industries, Haluk Gorgun
“Türkiye will continue to strengthen its power in the defense industry worldwide under the guidance of visionary leadership. I wish this agreement to be beneficial,” Gorgun added.
Spain to replace F-5 fleet with Hurjet
According to defense analysts, Spain plans to replace its aging fleet of F-5 aircraft with 24 Hurjets. Hurjet, developed by TAI, is designed to modernize the training fleet of the Turkish Air Force and has garnered interest from other nations, including Azerbaijan and Canada.
Reports also suggest that Spain has offered to sell six A400M transport aircraft to the Turkish Air Force in exchange for the purchase of 24 Hurjets.
The potential deal has generated significant interest in defense circles. Hurjet is also positioned itself as a competitor to other advanced jet trainers in short time, including the Boeing T-7, KAI T-50, and Leonardo M-346.
Hurjet’s specifications and production timeline
Hurjet is a single-engine advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft, part of Türkiye’s effort to replace the aging T-38M and NF-5A/B 2000 aircraft in its air force.
- Initial orders: The Turkish Air Force has ordered four aircraft, with options for 12 more.
- Delivery schedule: Four Hurjets are expected by 2025, with 12 Block 1 variants by 2028.
- Expansion plans: The Turkish Stars aerobatic team will also receive 12 Hurjets.
TAI has secured an agreement with GE Aerospace for 100 F404-GE-102 Turbofan engines to power the Hurjet. The company aims to deliver 100 aircraft to Türkiye and 300 to international customers by the 2030s.
Hurjet development and production
Hurjet, a twin-seat, single-engine supersonic new-generation jet trainer and light attack aircraft, began development on July 2, 2018, under an agreement between TAI, the Turkish Defense Industries Presidency and the Turkish Air Force.
Initial studies for the “Jet Trainer Aircraft & Light Attack Aircraft Project” commenced in July 2017, with the project officially starting on Aug. 14, 2017.
The goal of the Hurjet project is to develop a supersonic domestic jet trainer to replace the T-38M and NF-5A/B 2000 aircraft in the Turkish Air Force inventory by the 2030s.
Additionally, Hurjet aims to alleviate the load on the F-16C/D aircraft by taking on close air support roles. TAI also plans to develop a naval version of Hurjet for aircraft carrier operations.
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