TAI Hürjet

The TAI Hürjet (named after Vecihi Hürkuş) is a single-engine, tandem seat, supersonic advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft, under development by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). The first prototype made its first flight on 25 April 2023.

The Turkish Air Force intends to use the design to replace the Northrop T-38 Talon in the trainer role and also to supplement the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon for close air support. The aircraft is also planned to replace the Northrop F-5 used by the Turkish Stars aerobatic team. A naval version of the aircraft may also be developed. The company also plans to pursue export orders to countries looking to replace older trainer and ground attack aircraft.

Design and development
The project was initiated by TAI in August 2017 as a private venture. A mock-up was displayed at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. On 22 July 2018, the Turkish Under-secretariat for Defence Industries announced that the Turkish Air Force had signed an agreement with TAI, giving the project official status to move development forward.

the aircraft did not have an engine selected, although the Eurojet EJ200 and the General Electric F404-GE-102 were under consideration at the time. Capabilities are planned to include air-to-air refuelling, fly-by-wire with parameter limiting, built in auxiliary power unit, night vision goggle-compatible cockpit, head-up display and an integrated helmet display system.

TAI completed the first test simulator for the aircraft in September 2020. Designated Hürjet 270, the artificial intelligence based simulator will incorporate feedback from the test pilots to change the flight control algorithms and the avionics software during the flight test process. The company has developed simulator avionics, flight control systems, screen, cockpit and communication systems for the simulator.

Turkey has invited Malaysia to join the Hürjet project, in the role of producing some parts for the aircraft. While Malaysia has some experience developing composite materials, it has never designed and built any aircraft.

On January 12, 2022, the Defense Industry Executive Committee convened and announced that the first stage mass production decision was taken for the Hürjet, which is scheduled to make its first flight in 2025.

On April 25, 2023, maiden flight of Hürjet was conducted from TAI's testing airfield in Ankara, by Hürjet's Chief Testing Pilot Ercan Çelik.

On September 3, 2023, Hürjet prototype successfully conducted a formation flight with Turkish Stars aerobatic team; completing a total of 17 flights, accumulating a total of 9 hours and 8 minutes of flight time.

On May 2024, Hürjet prototype successfully conducted a formation flight with ANKA-3 stealth UCAV prototype; completing a total of 66 flights.

On July 11, 2024, Hürjet prototype successfully conducted a transonic flight test, reaching a speed of Mach 0.9 at an altitude of 30,000 feet; completing a total of 79 flights.

Hürjet is expected to make a demo flight at Farnborough International Airshow 2024 on 22, 23, 25 and 26 July 2024.

Operational history

 * Turkish Air Force/Turkish Stars - The initial procurement order of 4 Block 0 units (with option of additional 12 Block 1 units) was later converted to a final order of 16 units with advancement of delivery dates.
 * Turkish Air Force/Turkish Stars - The initial procurement order of 4 Block 0 units (with option of additional 12 Block 1 units) was later converted to a final order of 16 units with advancement of delivery dates.

Possible Sales

 * 🇪🇸 Spanish Air and Space Force : TAI Hürjet will participate in Spain tender to replace ageing Northrop F-5 aircraft fleet. Lieutenant Colonel Hugo Garcia Galan, Deputy Chief of Operations for the Next Generation Weapon System of the Spanish Air Force, announced that Spain is considering four new systems within the scope of the procurement of new aircraft. Participants in the tender are : TAI Hürjet, Boeing T-7A Red Hawk, KAI T-50 and Alenia Aermacchi M-346.
 * 🇺🇸 United States Navy : TAI Hürjet will participate in US Navy tender to replace T-45 Goshawk aircraft. The replacement plan has been delayed by 2 years, postponing the period to the second quarter of 2028. The US Navy will acquire 145 jet trainers in total. Participants will be Boeing T-7A Red Hawk, TF-50N version of KAI T-50 modified in cooperation with Lockheed Martin, M-346N version of Alenia Aermacchi M-346 modified in cooperation with Textron, a version of TAI Hürjet modified in cooperation with Sierra Nevada Corporation to meet US Navy criteria.

Failed Bids

 * 🇲🇾 Royal Malaysian Air Force : TAI Hürjet participated in Malaysia Light combat aircraft tender which started in 2021. Malaysia had a budget of 900 million dollars to acquire 18 LCA. The companies and their products that submitted their bids for the tender for the light combat aircraft of the Malaysian Air Force were as follows: KAI T-50, TAI Hürjet, Aero L-159 ALCA, Alenia Aermacchi M-346, HAL Tejas, Mikoyan MiG-35. In 2023 Malaysia announced KAI T-50 as a winner of the tender.

Variants

 * Trainer
 * Advanced supersonic jet trainer version
 * Block 0
 * Block 1


 * Light Combat Aircraft
 * Version for close air support and armed air policing roles. The combat variant will carry locally produced air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground bombs.