HÜRJET landed at Torrejón Air Base of the Spanish Air Force. A400M and HÜRJET Exchange is Possible

The prototype of the TAI HÜRJET supersonic advanced trainer aircraft landed at Torrejón Air Base in Madrid on Sunday afternoon (28 July) for evaluation by the Spanish Air and Space Forces.

On its route to Madrid, HÜRJET, together with an A400M carrying the technical crew and equipment, landed at Çorlu Airport from Ankara Akıncı Air Base, from Çorlu to Belgrade in Serbia, from there to Brescia in Italy, from Brescia to Mont de Marsan in France, and from there to Torrejón Air Base in Madrid.

According to the Spanish aviation press (Reference; Avion Revue, Flynews), experts from the Spanish Aerospace Forces have started to closely examine HÜRJET. A large Spanish team will also examine the HÜRJET at TAI facilities.

The HÜRJET is among the candidate aircraft that the Spanish Aerospace Forces plans to procure to replace the F-5, the CASA/Northrop advanced jet trainer aircraft, which it plans to remove from its inventory in 2028. Other candidates are the US Boeing T-7, the South Korean KAI T-50 and the Italian Leonardo M-346.

According to the Spanish press, HÜRJET's most important competitor is the Italian Leonardo M-346.

Spanish Press Reports that Spanish and Turkish Governments are Considering A400M and HÜRJET Swap.

The Spanish Press reports that the Turkish and Spanish governments are discussing the exchange of 6 Airbus A400M aircraft, which Spain has ordered but does not want to receive, for 24 TAI HÜRJET aircraft, which will replace CASA/Northrop F-5s, and that this issue was also discussed at the Farnborough International Airshow in England.

Spanish Press Claims that South Korea also offered to exchange T-50 and KT-1 for A400M, but the Spanish Government did not accept this offer.

The Spanish press claims that South Korea also offered a certain number of KT-50 and KT-1 training aircraft (turboprop) in exchange for 6 A400Ms some time ago, but the Spanish Government did not accept this offer.

HÜRJET and A400M in landing approach formation at Torrejón Air Base.

Is an A400M and HÜRJET swap highly probable?

The Spanish CASA aircraft construction company was acquired by Airbus Military, which produces the A400M. TAI and Airbus Military have also co-operated in the production of a certain fuselage section of the A400M, and are doing so in other projects. TAI and CASA/Airbus Military have been co-operating for many years in the production and maintenance of CN-235Ts. Spanish Airtificial and TAI have been cooperating in some of the mechanical control systems of HÜRJET.

In summary, Turkey and Spain are in cooperation in many defence systems, including military aviation systems.

The Turkish Air Force needs A400Ms, which Spain has ordered but does not want to buy. The A400M is the main aircraft of our military air cargo transport force, and its mission weight is very high and very intense.

Spain will decommission its F-5s in 2028, so there is no schedule constraint for HÜRJET delivery.

Spanish CASA has been an aircraft manufacturer with original designs for many years, and has manufactured and maintained the F-5s to be decommissioned under licence from Northrop.

The Spanish people are very sensitive and meticulous about the production, procurement and use of their own indigenous weapon systems.

The sale of the HÜRJET to the Spanish Air Force, especially in exchange for the A400M, is highly probable. This is because, in the production and sale of the A400M, Spain also gains added value due to the purchase of CASA by Airbus Military. It is to Spain's advantage to buy HÜRJET in return for A400M.

Furthermore, if Spanish CASA is granted the right to manufacture the HÜRJET under licence in Spain, to include its own systems in its configuration, and even to market the HÜRJET to third countries, the possibility of Spain purchasing the HÜRJET will increase even more.

HÜRJET landing at Torrejón Air Base.