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TAI Hürjet

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Hürjet
TAI Hürjet mockup at 2019 Teknofest
Role Advanced jet trainer, Lead-in fighter trainer/Light combat aircraft
National origin Turkey
Manufacturer Turkish Aerospace Industries
First flight 25 April 2023 [1]
Status Under development

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).[2][3][4] The first prototype made its first flight on 25 April 2023.[5][6]

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.[3] 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.[7] The company also plans to pursue export orders to countries looking to replace older trainer and ground attack aircraft.[2]

Design and development

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Hürjet mockup at Teknofest 2019

The project was initiated by TAI in August 2017 as a private venture. A mock-up was displayed at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow.[3] 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.[3]

As of January 2020 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.[4] 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.[3]

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.[8][9] The company has developed simulator avionics, flight control systems, screen, cockpit and communication systems for the simulator.[10]

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.[11]

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.[12]

On April 25, 2023, the maiden flight of the Hürjet was conducted from TAI's testing airfield in Ankara, by Hürjet's Chief Testing Pilot Ercan Çelik.[13]

On September 3, 2023, the Hürjet prototype successfully conducted a formation flight with the Turkish Stars aerobatic team, completing a total of 17 flights, accumulating a total of 9 hours and 8 minutes of flight time.[14]

In May 2024, the Hürjet prototype successfully conducted a formation flight with an ANKA-3 stealth UCAV prototype, completing a total of 66 flights.[15]

On July 11, 2024, the 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.[16]

On July 22, 2024, TAI, GE Aerospace and TEI signed a Memorandum of Understanding on integrating the F404 engine into new Hürjet aircraft variants and performing assembly, inspection, and testing of the F404 engines in Turkey. TEI would also provide assembly, maintenance, repair, and overhaul for the engine for Hürjet aircraft and export customers. TEI also plans to perform production of the engines and provide integrated logistics support (ILS) for end-users.[17][18]

On July 28, 2024, the first Hürjet, designated tail number #24-001 with Turkish Air Force insignia, successfully landed in Torrejón Air Base for evaluation by the Spanish Air and Space Force regarding Spain's tender to replace its F-5 aircraft fleet. The flight started in TAI facilities in Ankara (LTAE) with stops in Tekirdağ (TEQ), Belgrade (BEG), Brescia (VBS) and Mont-de-Marsan (LFBM) before arriving in Madrid (TOJ).[19][20]

On August 16, 2024, the Hürjet prototype successfully conducted its 100th flight piloted by TAI test pilots Ercan Çelik and Orhan Boran, accumulating a total of 118 hours of flight time.[21][22]

The Hürjet prototype is expected to be showcased to the Egyptian Air Force and other militaries from Africa and the Middle East with a demonstration flight at the Egypt International Airshow 2024.[23][24]

Operational history

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 Turkey
  • 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.[25]

Possible sales

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  • Spain Spanish Air and Space Force - TAI Hürjet will participate in Spain's tender to replace its 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 the TAI Hürjet, Boeing T-7A Red Hawk, KAI T-50 and Alenia Aermacchi M-346.[26][27]
  • United States United States Navy - TAI Hürjet will participate in the US Navy tender to replace its 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 the 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,[28] a version of TAI Hürjet modified in cooperation with Sierra Nevada Corporation to meet US Navy criteria.[29][30]

Failed bids

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Variants

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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.[32][33]

Specifications

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Data from Turkish Aerospace Industries[34][35]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 13.6 m (44 ft 7 in) [34]
  • Wingspan: 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in) [34]
  • Height: 5.1 m (16 ft 9 in) [34]
  • Wing area: 25 m2 (270 sq ft) [34]
  • Payload: 2,721 kg (6,000 lb)[34]
  • Powerplant: 1 × F404-GE-102 afterburning turbofan, 78 kN (17,600 lbf) thrust [34]

Performance

  • Maximum speed: Mach 1.4[34]
  • Range: 2,222 km (1,381 mi, 1,200 nmi) [34]
  • Service ceiling: 13,716 m (45,000 ft) [34]
  • g limits: +8/-3 g[34]
  • Rate of climb: 200 m/s (39,000 ft/min) [34]

See also

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

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  1. ^ "Türkiye's indigenous light combat aircraft Hurjet makes maiden flight". 25 April 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Hürjet". Turkish Aerospace Industries Industries (tusas.com). 2021. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Hürjet Comes to Light in England". savunmahaber.com. 18 September 2018. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Hürjet'in Motorunda Rekabet Devam Ediyor" [Competition Continues for Hürjet's Engine]. c4defence.com (in Turkish). 1 January 2020. Archived from the original on 19 May 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  5. ^ "HÜRJET Jet Eğitim Uçağı ilk uçuşunu gerçekleştirdi" (in Turkish). 25 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Hürjet completed its maiden flight". Savunma Sanayii. 25 April 2023.
  7. ^ Ozberk, Tayfun (20 April 2021). "Turkey Plans to Deploy Indigenous Aircraft 'Hürjet' on LHD Anadolu". Naval News. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Turkey's 1st supersonic Hürjet to be designed using domestic engineering simulator". Daily Sabah. 6 September 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  9. ^ Bekdil, Burak Ege (8 September 2020). "Turkey develops AI-based simulator for light fighter jet". C4isrnet.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Turkish TAI to develop Hurjet 270 simulators". Global Defense Corp (GDC). 8 September 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Turkey Invites Malaysia for "Hurjet" Combat-Trainer Project as the U.S. Sanctioned Turkey". Global Defense Corp (GDC). 3 January 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  12. ^ "SSIK Decides to start the serial production of HÜRJET". TURDEF. 14 January 2022. Archived from the original on 10 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Hürjet Accomplished Its Maiden Flight". Defence Turkey Magazine. May 2023. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023.
  14. ^ "GELECEĞİN YILDIZI HÜRJET TÜRK YILDIZLARI İLE BİRLİKTE UÇTU". Turkish Aerospace Industries (in Turkish). 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  15. ^ "ANKA III VE HÜRJET'TEN KOL UÇUŞU". Turkish Aerospace Industries (in Turkish). 5 May 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  16. ^ Demiroğlu, Dr. Mehmet (11 July 2024). "Hürjet son sürat ilerliyor!" [Hürjet is advancing at full speed!]. x.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Turkish Aerospace, TUSAŞ Engine Industries and GE Aerospace Sign MOU to Extend Collaboration on HÜRJET Advanced Training Jet Program". GE Aerospace. 22 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  18. ^ "TEI, TUSAŞ ve GE Aerospace'ten Mutabakat Anlaşması". TEI (in Turkish). 22 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  19. ^ Calvo, Luis (28 July 2024). "Llega a Torrejón el TAI Hurjet para su evaluación por el Ejército del Aire español" [The TAI Hurjet arrives in Torrejón for evaluation by the Spanish Air Force]. Flynews (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  20. ^ Gibaja, Juan Manuel (28 July 2024). "Llegada desde Mont De Marsan". AviationCorner.net. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Hürjet'ten 100. sorti!" [HÜRJET Completes Its 100th Sortie!]. x.com (in Turkish). 16 August 2024.
  22. ^ Özbek, Tolga (16 August 2024). "HÜRJET 100'üncü test uçuşu ile dalya dedi" [HÜRJET Reaches Milestone with 100th Test Flight]. tolgaozbek.com (in Turkish).
  23. ^ "Turkish Aerospace to Showcase HÜRJET Flight Capabilities at Egypt International Airshow 2024". Egypt International Airshow. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  24. ^ "Turkish Hürjet jet trainer aircraft expected to debut in Egypt". Airforce Technology. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  25. ^ "HÜRJET için sipariş kesinleşti SSB Başkanı Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün: TUSAŞ ve SSB arasında imzalanan 4 adet Blok 0 HÜRJET'e ilave olarak 12 adet Blok 1 uçağı kapsama dahil ediyoruz. Bu kapsamda 12 uçak teslimatı kesin siparişe çevrilecek. Uçak teslimat tarihleri iyileştirilecek ve 1 yıl öne çekilecek". gdh.digital. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  26. ^ Wall, Robert (21 May 2024). "Spain Revives F-5 Trainer Replacement". Aviation Week. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  27. ^ Meier, Ricardo (23 May 2024). "Spain seeks replacement for its old F-5M trainer aircraft". Air Data News. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  28. ^ Neumann, Norbert (30 April 2024). "Leonardo and Textron pitch M-346N for upcoming US Navy T-45 replacement". Shephard Media. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  29. ^ STRASAM.ORG. "HÜRJET; U.S. ABD Donanmasının da Hafif Silahlı Taarruz ve İleri Seviye Jet Eğitim Uçağı Adayı | Stratejik Araştırmalar Merkezi - STRASAM.ORG ®". strasam.org (in Turkish). Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  30. ^ "HÜRJET, ABD Donanması'nın radarında". Haber Aero (in Turkish). 6 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  31. ^ "Malezya KAI FA-50'yi tercih etti | SavunmaSanayiST" (in Turkish). 24 February 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  32. ^ "In-depth Look At Turkish First Supersonic "Hürjet /Hürjet 270/Hurkus-C" Advanced jet Trainer And Light Attack Aircraft". Global Defense Corp. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  33. ^ Ozberk, Tayfun (20 April 2021). "Turkey Plans to Deploy Indigenous Aircraft 'Hürjet' on LHD Anadolu". Naval News. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "TUSAS 2020 Genel Flyer Hürjet" (PDF). Turkish Aerospace Industries. 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  35. ^ "HÜRJET". Turkish Aerospace Industries. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
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