Spanish Industry Takes a Strategic Step Toward Participation in TAI’s Hurjet Trainer Program

At the FEINDEF 2025 defense and security exhibition in Madrid, 16 leading Spanish companies formalized their intention to participate in the TAI Hurjet supersonic trainer program by signing a Letter of Intent with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). The goal of this agreement is to “Spanishize” the aircraft by integrating Spanish systems into its design and production.

The signatory companies — Aciturri, Aernova, Aertec, Airbus, Airtificial, Amper, Centum, Cesa, Clue, GMV, Grabysur, Indra, ITP Aero, Grupo Oesía, Orbital, and Sener — bring together extensive expertise across aeronautical engineering, avionics, systems integration, and defense technologies.

Airbus is leading the Spanish industrial consortium and, together with TAI, will identify and develop potential collaboration areas within the Advanced Jet Trainer Aircraft – Integrated Training System – Combat (ITS-C) program. This initiative aims to replace the aging F-5M trainer fleet currently in service with the Spanish Air and Space Force.

The agreement builds upon a preliminary commitment signed in December 2024 by Spain’s Ministry of Defence, aimed at paving the way for Spanish industry involvement should the Hurjet be officially selected for acquisition.

“This collaboration would leverage Airbus’s experience in design, manufacturing, in-service support, and training,” the company stated following the signing.

As outlined in Spain’s Industrial and Technological Plan for Security and Defence, the government plans to acquire between 28 and 30 new trainer aircraft, with an estimated investment of €275 million.

However, the implementation of this agreement depends on several steps: government approval of the investment, the launch of an open procurement process by the Directorate General of Armament and Material, and the selection of the aircraft model. Should the Hurjet be chosen, a formal purchase agreement would be negotiated between the Ministry of Defence and TAI, incorporating binding arrangements with the participating Spanish firms.

This milestone signals a new phase of Spain–Türkiye defense industrial cooperation, with the potential to advance joint innovation, strengthen technological capabilities, and increase competitiveness on the international stage.