Spain has decided to purchase HÜRJET trainers from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) to replace the obsolete Northrop F-5B aircraft, which have been in service for over five decades with the Ejército del Aire y del Espacio. For this purpose, the country will invest just under 1.4 billion euros.
Spain’s program includes the purchase of 18 units of Turkish advanced trainers.
The first 6 aircraft will be delivered by 2028, and all are expected to be commissioned by 2029.
The program involves Spanish participation in the design of the Integrated Training System-Combat (ITS-C) with contributions from several Spanish companies, including Indra.
The Integrated Training System-Combat (ITS-C) aims to develop an advanced trainer correlated with a ground-based training system (GBTS) carrying modern simulation tools.
The Spanish GBTS will be developed to meet the needs and requirements of the Ejército del Aire y del Espacio.
The HÜRJET is the first jet-piloted aircraft designed and built in Turkey. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) will produce two versions of this aircraft: the Trainer Jet and the Light Attack Aircraft, to meet the needs of the domestic and international market.
According to data released by TAI, the HÜRJET, equipped with a Fly-By-Wire system, can reach a top speed of 1.4 Mach with an operating tangent of 45,000 feet and a range of over 2,200 km, supporting accelerations and decelerations between +8 and -3 G.
The HÜRJET has a wingspan of 9.5 meters, a length of 13.6 meters, a height of 5.1 meters; the General Electric F404-GE-102 engine provides a thrust of 17,600 pounds, while the payload capacity is 2,721 kg.
Photo credit @Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI)
