ISTANBUL — Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus and a group of 15 Spanish companies – “Team Spain” – to explore cooperation on Spain’s future jet trainer program.
The agreement, signed during the Feindef defense exhibition in Madrid, focuses on developing a new Integrated Training System (ITS-C) that will eventually replace the Spanish Air Force’s 19 F-5M training aircraft which have been in service for 53 years.
The partnership aims to combine Airbus’s experience in aircraft design, production and training with TUSAŞ’s Hürjet. The Hürjet is a twin-seat, supersonic jet trainer designed to prepare pilots for advanced fighter aircraft and could become a key element in Spain’s future training system.
The agreement builds on a previous pact between TUSAŞ and Airbus and now includes Spanish industrial players. It also seeks to deepen defense ties between Turkey and Spain while contributing to the modernization of Spain’s military pilot training infrastructure.
Hürjet, currently in development by TUSAŞ, is designed to reach speeds of up to Mach 1.4. It includes advanced onboard and ground-based training systems and is scheduled to enter service with the Turkish Air Force in 2026.
Lt. Gen. Miguel Ivorra Ruiz, who oversees defense-industry planning at the Spanish Ministry of Defense, emphasized the broader significance of the agreement. He described it as “a step towards a solid, strategic and innovative industrial cooperation,” saying it would position Spanish companies at the center of an internationally scoped initiative.
Cem Devrim Yaylali is a Turkey correspondent for Defense News. He is a keen photographer of military ships and has a passion for writing about naval and defense issues. He was born in Paris, France, and resides in Istanbul, Turkey. He is married with one son.
