The Turkish Hurjet trainer has bagged its maiden export deal. The Turkish Aerospace industries (TAI) has inked a contract with Spain to export the single-engine, tandem-seat, supersonic advanced jet trainer.

The export deal comes after a failed bid to export the Hurjet Light Combat Aircraft to Malaysia. The Malaysian Air Force finally chose the Korean T-50 for its fleet. The Hurjet has taken to the skies for the first time on April 25, 2023.

Hurjet came ahead of the Boeing T-7 Red Hawk, KAI T-50/FA-50 Golden Eagle, and Leonardo M-346 to win the Spanish tender. Azerbaijan and Canada have also shown interest in the aircraft.

On December 20, the Spanish Air Force signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TAI to procure 24 Hurjets to replace its aging fleet of 19 SF-5M, also known as Northrop F-5 Freedom trainers. The Spanish Air Force plans to retire the Northrop F-5s by 2028.

The Spanish Air Force extensively evaluated Turkish aircraft between July and August of this year at Torrejon Air Base near Madrid. It was Hurjet’s first foreign visit. Hurjet can reach a maximum speed of approximately Mach 1.4 and has a service ceiling of 45,000 feet. Equipped with modern avionics, the Hurjet is designed to be versatile enough to perform training missions, light attacks, close air support, and armed reconnaissance missions.

The details of the procurement have not yet been disclosed. However, the official statement from the Spanish Ministry of Defense mentions that Spain will have industrial participation in the Hurjet program.

The aircraft is still in its developmental phase and has not yet entered serial production. However, TAI says it plans to start production in 2025, with the first deliveries by 2025-2026.

A Spanish aerospace company based in Cardiz has been involved in the Hurjet project, manufacturing active and passive flight control arms. The company announced a two-phase contract worth US$2.8 million to manufacture these components for the Hurjet on April 3.

The Turkish Air Force has ordered four aircraft and will likely purchase 12 more in the second tranche. The four Hurjets are expected to be delivered by 2025-2026, with 12 Block 1 variants by 2028. 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 Turkey and 300 to international customers by the 2030s.

The initial studies for the “Jet Trainer Aircraft & Light Attack Aircraft Project” started in July 2017. The aim behind the Hurjet aircraft was 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. Hurjet aims to alleviate the load on the F-16C/D aircraft by taking on close air support roles. A naval variant of Hurjet for aircraft carrier operations is also on the cards.

Emergence Of Turkish Defense Industry As A Global Player

In recent years, the Turkish defense industry has taken big strides toward indigenization and increased its export potential. Turkey’s defense exports grew from US$250 million in 2002 to US$5.5 billion in 2023.

Its Kaan 5^th generation fighter jet undertook its maiden test flight in 2024. It represents the country’s aspiration to join the elite group of nations capable of producing 5th-generation fighter jets. While Kaan is no match for the American F-35, it does provide a cheap alternative to countries not looking to be associated with the US and its stringent export-related conditions.

Considering that just in 2010, Turkey’s Defence Industry Executive Committee (SSIK) had decided to design, develop, and manufacture a domestic next-generation air-superiority fighter that would replace Turkey’s F-16 fleet, it was an outstanding achievement.

In July 2023, Azerbaijan joined Turkey in its fifth-generation fighter jet program. Pakistan has also shown eagerness to join the project. Nearly 200 Pakistani engineers were already involved in Kaan. If talks succeed, Pakistan could become the second foreign partner to join the Kaan program.

TAI is known for producing a wide variety of UAVs. A Turkish private company manufactures the Bayraktar TB2 medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. It has been extensively used in Syria, Libya, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine.

Azerbaijan has been the flagship country in cementing the reputation of Turkish drones. The Bayraktar TB2 played an important role in Azerbaijan’s victory over Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Since then, the drone has been inducted by several countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Maldives.

The Gulf countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and countries in the Horn of Africa have also shown interest in Turkish defense offerings. Saudi Arabia has inked a US$ 3 billion deal to purchase unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) from Turkey. It is the largest defense export deal in Turkey’s history. Turkey has been offering the transfer of technology and joint production to win over the countries.

In Africa, Turkey has established its largest foreign base in Somalia. It helps Turkey influence regional security dynamics and project power across the Red Sea and into the Indian Ocean. This also gives Turkey a toehold to tap the African defense market.

Turkey’s land and naval platforms exports are gaining popularity, too. In 2022, the land and naval military platform’s exports had outperformed their aerial ones. Turkey is working on its largest warship (the world’s first drone carrier), which would generate much interest from potential customers.

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