Spain is moving to retire its aging F-5 trainer fleet by procuring 30 Hürjet advanced jet trainers from Turkey, marking a major shift in how the country prepares its future combat pilots.
Madrid has selected Airbus Defence and Space as the prime contractor to develop the Spanish Air and Space Force’s new Integrated Combat Training System, with Turkish Aerospace supplying the Hürjet aircraft. The initiative extends well beyond the aircraft themselves, establishing a comprehensive training ecosystem that integrates jets, simulators, infrastructure modernization, and long-term sustainment.
Under the program, the Hürjet trainers will be delivered initially in a baseline configuration before being adapted to meet Spanish operational requirements. As national coordinator, Airbus will manage the fleet conversion process, establish an aircraft conversion center in Spain, and modernize the Fighter and Attack School at Talavera la Real Air Base in Extremadura.
Initial aircraft deliveries are planned for 2028 and 2029 following national certification. Conversion activities will then begin, with the first two aircraft modified at Airbus facilities in Getafe, while the remaining 28 will be upgraded at the newly established Spanish conversion center. Final deliveries are scheduled between the second half of 2031 and 2035.
The Hürjet is a tandem-seat, supersonic advanced trainer designed to bridge the gap between basic flight training and frontline fighters such as the Eurofighter Typhoon. It is engineered to replicate key characteristics of modern combat aircraft, including high-speed flight dynamics, advanced avionics, and digital cockpit architectures.
Featuring an open-architecture design, the Hürjet allows operators to customize mission systems, training software, and onboard simulation functions to national needs. Integrated with ground-based simulators and virtual training tools, the aircraft supports cost-effective, high-fidelity mission rehearsal, enhancing training realism, safety, and overall pilot readiness.
