Based on the recent approval by the Council of Ministers, Spain will expand the fleet of future Hürjet trainers, raising the acquisition to a total of 45 new aircraft and surpassing the number agreed upon in the July deal. These are part of a broader co-production program undertaken with Turkey to modernize the training capabilities of current and future pilots of the Spanish Air and Space Force.
Approved yesterday through Royal Decree 848/2025, which formalized the acquisition of other capabilities and platforms, it was confirmed that the Air and Space Force will acquire up to 45 advanced Hürjet training aircraft, currently being developed and manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries, with the objective of replacing the current F-5Ms operated by Wing 23.
As mentioned, this new step follows the agreement signed in May of this year, during the International Defense and Security Exhibition (FEINDEF), between Turkish Aerospace Industries and Airbus, where both companies began the process of equipping the Air and Space Force with a new training platform through the co-production of the Hürjet.
Subsequently, last July, a new roadmap was confirmed, projecting an initial investment of €1.375 billion for the co-production of a total of between 28 and 30 aircraft based on the TAI Hürjet, which will incorporate equipment and systems produced by Spanish industry to meet the requirements of the Air and Space Force. The program also includes the provision of a comprehensive ground training system.
Now, the new approval confirms the expansion of the number of aircraft that will make up Spain’s advanced trainer fleet, stating that the aircraft will be manufactured at TAI’s facilities in Turkey and later undergo conversion/customization with Spanish systems at Airbus facilities, under the ITS-C (Integrated Training System – Combat) framework.
Finally, and in line with what was previously reported by Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles to the Senate at the end of June, Decree 848/2025 specifies that “… deliveries will begin in 2028, with an initial set of aircraft available to start familiarization and training on the platform for the 2029/2030 course. In parallel, the Spanish configuration will be developed and integrated, with the first aircraft available starting in 2031.”
*Photographs used for illustrative purposes.
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