Türkiye's defense industry reached a historic milestone with the export of TAI's Hürjet jet trainer to Spain, marking the first sale of a Turkish combat aircraft to a NATO and EU member country.

Havelsan will supply full mission simulators as part of the comprehensive package, reversing decades of Turkish import dependency, The Caspian Post reports, citing Turkish media.

Türkiye's defense sector has secured a landmark agreement to export the domestically developed Hürjet jet trainer aircraft to Spain, representing the first time a Turkish combat aircraft will enter the inventory of a NATO and European Union member state. The deal encompasses not only the aircraft but also ground systems, simulation technology, and long-term sustainment services.

Simulator Development and Export Milestone

Turkish defense firm Havelsan will supply the full mission and flight training simulators accompanying the Hürjet, with delivery to the Turkish Air Force scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026 ahead of the Spanish export. Havelsan General Manager Mehmet Akif Nacar described the agreement as a major turning point, noting it reverses a long-standing trend where Türkiye imported such simulators. "Havelsan has now developed the capacity to design and export comprehensive simulator software," Nacar stated, adding that the company plans to apply the same model with other Hürjet purchasing nations.

Technical Capabilities and Future Prospects

The Hürjet's next-generation embedded simulator enables pilots to train in virtual scenarios during actual flights, extending operational training time without relying on ground-based systems. Havelsan engineers contributed to the aircraft's engineering tests and cockpit validation over three years, applying the same approach to Türkiye's KAAN combat aircraft program. The company is constructing a new complex in Ankara expected to become Europe's largest simulator production and integration center. The Hürjet is scheduled to enter service in Türkiye in 2027 and in Spain in 2028, with Nacar projecting growth in Havelsan's global market share as TAI expands international sales of platforms including Hürkuş and Atak aircraft.