IRIA News

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Turkiye’s defense industry has reached a major milestone with the export of the domestically developed Hurjet jet trainer aircraft to Spain, marking the first time a Turkish-made combat aircraft will enter the inventory of a NATO and European Union member state.

Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the advanced jet trainer is currently undergoing mass production for the Turkish Air Force while preparations continue to fulfill the requirements of the export agreement with Spain. The aircraft is scheduled to enter service in Turkiye in 2027, followed by its induction into the Spanish Air Force in 2028.

The agreement represents more than a platform sale, expanding into a comprehensive defense package that includes simulation systems, training infrastructure, and long-term operational support.

Spanish procurement of the Hurjet follows a December 2025 contract covering 30 aircraft valued at approximately $3 billion, signaling deepening defense cooperation between Ankara and Madrid.

Integrated Simulator Exports

A central component of the agreement involves Turkish defense technology firm Havelsan, which will supply the full mission and flight training simulator accompanying the Hurjet platform. The simulator is expected to be delivered to the Turkish Air Force in the fourth quarter of 2026, ahead of aircraft deliveries connected to the Spanish export program.

Havelsan General Manager Mehmet Akif Nacar described the agreement as a turning point for Turkiye’s defense ecosystem, emphasizing that the country has transitioned from decades of reliance on foreign simulator imports to exporting advanced training systems of its own.

“This agreement reverses a long-standing trend,” Nacar said, noting that Havelsan now possesses the capability to design and export comprehensive simulator software meeting international operational standards.

According to Nacar, the company intends to replicate the same export model with future Hurjet customers by offering integrated training solutions alongside aircraft sales, transforming the platform into a complete aviation training ecosystem rather than a standalone aircraft export.

Havelsan engineers began work on the Hurjet simulator roughly three years ago, contributing directly to engineering tests, cockpit scenario development, and validation processes during the aircraft’s development phase. The experience gained through the program is also being applied to KAAN, Turkiye’s next-generation domestically developed combat aircraft.

Next-Generation Training Capability

The Hurjet incorporates a next-generation embedded simulator that enables pilots to conduct virtual mission and combat training scenarios during actual flights.

Unlike traditional systems dependent on ground-based visual infrastructure, the embedded technology allows operational training to continue in real-time flight conditions, significantly extending pilot training hours while reducing costs and logistical requirements.

The simulator architecture also supports mission planning, pre-flight preparation, and operational rehearsal, allowing air forces to conduct complex training cycles before live missions. The export demonstrates Turkiye’s growing capability to provide integrated aerospace solutions combining hardware, software, and training systems under a single national framework.

To support increasing domestic and international demand, Havelsan is constructing a new complex in Ankara that is expected to become the largest simulator production and integration center in Europe once completed. The facility is intended to serve both Turkish military modernization programs and expanding export commitments tied to platforms developed by TAI.

The Hurjet is a twin-seat, single-engine supersonic jet designed for advanced pilot training and light attack missions. Development of the aircraft began in 2017, and it completed its maiden flight in April 2023 as part of Turkiye’s broader effort to reduce dependence on foreign aerospace systems.

Turkiye plans to gradually replace its aging T-38M and NF-5 trainer aircraft fleets with the Hurjet in the coming decade, while officials have also explored the platform’s potential for close air support roles alongside the country’s F-16 fleet. Plans for a carrier-capable naval variant have also been discussed as Ankara expands indigenous aviation capabilities.

In international markets, the Hurjet will compete against platforms such as Boeing’s T-7 Red Hawk, Korea Aerospace Industries’ T-50, and Leonardo’s M-346, placing Turkiye directly within a highly competitive global trainer aircraft segment traditionally dominated by established Western manufacturers.

Defense Exports and Broader Industry Expansion

The Spain agreement comes amid a sustained rise in Turkiye’s defense exports over the past two decades. Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute shows that Turkish arms exports have increased by more than 1,000 percent since the early 2000s, reflecting rapid industrial expansion across aerospace, drone, armored vehicle, and naval sectors.

Trend Indicator Value data indicate Turkiye’s annual arms export volume rose from 28 in 2004 to 332 in 2024, peaking at 699 in 2023, the highest level recorded for the country.

Officials expect Havelsan’s global market share and export revenues to grow further as TAI expands international sales of domestically developed platforms, including the Hurkuş trainer aircraft and the Atak attack helicopter.

The Hurjet export to Spain, therefore, represents not only a commercial success but also a strategic shift in Turkiye’s defense posture, demonstrating its emergence as a supplier capable of delivering complete aerospace systems to advanced allied militaries within NATO.