Spain has chosen to buy the Turkish Hürjet training aircraft, and has done so without putting its contract out to tender, as this newspaper has revealed. Beyond doubts about the procedure, what does the Air Force gain? … And space with this device and for what purpose?
The Hürjet is an aircraft designed by the Turkish Public Defense Aerospace Industries Corporation and is currently in the development phase: there are only two machines actively manufactured – one of them landed in 2024 at Torrejon Air Base for evaluation. In fact, the first devices have not even been supplied to the first customer, the Turkish Air Force, whose delivery is scheduled for 2026. Ankara has ordered these devices to replace the T-38s, used for advanced combat training, and the F-5s, used for aerobatic displays, in its fleet.
The manufacturer defines the aircraft as a training device with the potential for use in light combat and close patrol missions. This single-engine supersonic aircraft has tandem seating for training missions and is capable of reaching a speed of Mach 1.4 (i.e. Above the speed of sound) and a maximum service ceiling of 45,000 feet (13,716 m), powered by an American GE-F-404-104 engine. The length of the plane is 13.6 metres, its wingspan is 9.5 metres, and its height is 4.1 metres. Its suite area is 25 square metres.
Various sources highlight its performance, maneuverability and various capabilities to integrate weapons and other aviation systems.
A necessity for Spain
In fact, it has also been highlighted that the Hürjet can perform in Red Flag maneuvers, combat training against other aircraft, in the role of Red Air fighters, where it can simulate capabilities, although it does not reach them, One of the top devices.
Sources from the Spanish military aviation industry familiar with the model explained to ABC that our country “needs” an aircraft of this type to train fighter pilots. Combat pilot training is progressive and takes place using different types of aircraft, which, among other things, helps maintain and prevent wear and tear on advanced fighters such as the F-18 or Eurofighter Thypoon.
Young pilots first do basic training – learn to fly – using a Pilatus PC-21 – which has replaced the C-101 for these missions and even aerobatic missions as can be seen with the retirement of the Eagle Patrol and its replacement by the Blackbird training last national holiday – which is slower, easier and cheaper to teach with. They then move on to advanced training – where the Hürjet will come to replace the F-5 – where an aircraft with maneuverability similar to that of a real fighter is used. Finally, specific training will be conducted depending on the specific type of fishing they will actually be using, these sources summarize.
It is capable of reaching 1.4 matches and a maximum service ceiling of 45,000 feet (13,716 meters) with great performance
This prevents, to put it matter-of-factly, the future commanders of air combat of our Armed Forces from moving from machines with a maximum speed of 680 km/h of the Pilatus to 1,900 km/h of the F-18.
The question remains whether this Turkish model, which has not yet debuted any real training, will be able to perform the promised advanced training process better than other capabilities on the market.
The first Hürjets, “Spanish” through the intervention of which Airbus will carry out their development, which will reach the Air Force, according to the Ministry of Defence, will replace the F-5 of the 23rd Wing assigned to the base of Talavera la Real (Badajoz), which will be the base of this trainer for Spanish pilots.
About The Author
