HÜRJET Jet Trainer: Türkiye and Spain Begin Joint Production
Quick take: Türkiye’s Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) said on October 14 that Türkiye and Spain will jointly produce a Spain-specific version of the HÜRJET advanced jet trainer, with Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) and Spanish subcontractors sharing the work. The same day, Spanish outlet Defensa.com reported Madrid is weighing a follow-on order for 15 more HÜRJET/Saeta aircraft. SSB President Haluk Görgün also said Türkiye’s 2026 defense and aerospace exports have already passed $7.4 billion, matching all of 2025’s total.
Spain highlighted at Ankara industry event
The announcement came at the 2026 Defense and Aviation Industry Cooperation Days, organized by the OSTİM Defense and Aviation Cluster (OSSA) with backing from Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence and the SSB, at Congresium Ankara. Alongside Görgün, the event drew Felipe Javier Carrasco Torres, deputy industry minister for Spain’s Valencia region, along with the heads of OSSA, OSTİM, and the Ankara chambers of industry and commerce.
Görgün called Spain the first partner in a “new cooperation model” and described the Spanish Air Force’s selection of HÜRJET as the clearest example of that partnership, saying Madrid chose the aircraft “with great appreciation.”
How the co-production plan works
According to Görgün, the first HÜRJET aircraft will continue to be built and delivered by TUSAŞ. A later batch would then be produced with input from existing Spanish subcontractors and go through separate certification in Spain — effectively turning the jet into a platform shared between the two countries’ industrial bases. Once Spain’s own requirements are met, Görgün said the aircraft would be offered to other NATO members and partner nations. Anadolu Agency quoted him describing the plan simply as Türkiye and Spain developing a joint version of the trainer together.
Torres, speaking for the Spanish side, said Valencia was glad to host Turkish firms and SMEs and invited them to a defense and security industry event in the region next September. He listed Spain’s civilian industrial strengths — automotive, ceramics, chemicals, plastics, biotech and cosmetics — and noted its AI, semiconductor, photonics and cybersecurity firms mostly serve non-defense markets. Defense makes up a small share of Spanish industry, he said, and cooperation with Türkiye could help grow it. He called the two countries’ industries “siblings” from that day forward.
The existing contract, and a signal of more to come
Spain signed for 30 HÜRJET aircraft in December 2025 in a deal reported at roughly €2.6 billion, covering ground simulators, maintenance infrastructure and long-term support, with deliveries due to begin in 2028. Spanish defense trade reporting has described the program running through Spain’s DGAM procurement office with Airbus Defence and Space handling local integration, and the aircraft being rebranded “Saeta II” once adapted at a center in Albacete, replacing Spain’s veteran F-5 fleet.
On October 14, Defensa.com reported that Spain’s Ministry of Defence is separately planning to buy 15 more Saeta/HÜRJET jets on top of that order — a step that would take the total fleet to 45 aircraft if confirmed. That report is distinct from Görgün’s co-production announcement and has not yet been confirmed as a signed contract.
Why it matters for Türkiye and NATO
Moving HÜRJET production onto Spanish soil marks a shift from exporting finished aircraft to sharing industrial output with a NATO and EU member — closer to the production-sharing model used in Eurofighter or F-16 programs than to a standard export sale. Spain’s existing role as a Eurofighter production partner suggests it already has the industrial base to take on HÜRJET work. Combined with Türkiye’s 2026 export trajectory, now on track to beat 2025, the Spain deal signals that Turkish aerospace exports are increasingly shifting from platform sales toward shared production arrangements with allied industries.
Sources
- Anadolu Agency (AA), “Türkiye, Spain to develop joint version of Hürjet jet trainer: Defense industry chief,” October 14, 2026 — used for Görgün’s co-production announcement and English-language confirmation.
- Sabah, “Haluk Görgün: HÜRJET İspanya tarafından büyük bir takdirle tercih edildi,” October 14, 2026 — used for event details, attendees and direct quotes from Görgün and Torres.
- Defensa.com, “Defensa planea la compra de otros 15 aviones Saeta, la versión ‘españolizada’ del Hurjet de la turca TAI,” October 14, 2026 — used for the reported follow-on order of 15 aircraft and Saeta II/Albacete details.
- Turkish Minute, “Spain signs €2.6 bn deal for 30 Turkish-made Hürjet jet trainers,” December 30, 2025 — used as background on the existing contract’s value and scope.
