Hürjet

The TAI Hürjet is a single-engine, tandem-seat supersonic advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Launched as a company-funded venture in July 2017 and given official status by the Turkish Air Force in 2018, it is intended to replace the T-38M Talon in the advanced training role, supplement the F-16 in close air support, and re-equip the Turkish Stars aerobatic team in place of its NF-5s.

Design

Powered by a single General Electric F404 turbofan delivering 78.7 kN with afterburner, the Hürjet is 13.6 m long with a 9.5 m wingspan and, per TAI figures, reaches Mach 1.4, a 14,000 m service ceiling, a 1,960 km range and a 246 m/s climb rate. Features include full-authority fly-by-wire controls, air-to-air refueling capability, a night-vision-compatible cockpit, head-up and helmet-mounted displays, and a planned light combat variant carrying Turkish air-to-air missiles and guided bombs.

Operational History

The first prototype flew on 25 April 2023, and a second joined testing in November 2024. Turkey ordered 16 aircraft, and Spain selected the type to replace its F-5 trainers: after a May 2025 industrial agreement between TAI, Airbus and the Spanish Ministry of Defense, Madrid approved a 3.1 billion euro contract for 45 aircraft in October 2025, the program's first export. Mass production was underway in 2026, with initial deliveries expected to the Turkish Stars, though no unit was in squadron service as of mid-2026. The Hürjet is also a contender for the US Navy's T-45 replacement with Sierra Nevada Corporation.