Countdown has begun for HÜRKUŞ-II: The process of entering the Turkish Air Force inventory

The countdown for HÜRKUŞ-II has begun! What can HÜRKUŞ-II do? 2T Technology & Defense #15

In the 15th episode of our 2T Technology & Defense program, we talked about the curious things about HÜRKUŞ-II, which is preparing to enter the inventory.

Turkey's domestic training aircraft project, HÜRKUŞ, is preparing to enter the Turkish Air Force inventory with its new generation design after approximately 20 years of development. The new generation basic training aircraft, called HÜRKUŞ-II, was reconsidered in line with the experiences gained from the first HÜRKUŞ.

HÜRKUŞ-II passed an important threshold by receiving the Military Type Certificate on September 9, 2026. The acceptance activity for the aircraft developed by TAI is planned to be held on September 28, 2026. Thus, the final stage has been reached for the start of HÜRKUŞ-II's service period in the Turkish Air Force.

So how did the HÜRKUŞ project begin, why was HÜRKUŞ-II developed and what does the new aircraft offer compared to the first generation? We talked about the curious things about HÜRKUŞ-II in the 15th episode of 2T Technology & Defense program, the technology and defense industry program prepared by Tolga Özbek and Tolga Cem Küçükyılmaz.

How did the HÜRKUŞ project start?

The foundation of HÜRKUŞ was laid in 2006. Following the signing of the design and production contract between the then Undersecretariat for Defense Industries and TAI, work began to develop the domestic basic training aircraft.

Prototype HÜRKUŞ made its first flight on August 29, 2013. The plane remained in the air for 33 minutes in the first flight and rose to an altitude of approximately 9,500 feet. With the subsequent tests, HÜRKUŞ's flight and certification process continued.

One of the most important milestones of HÜRKUŞ was the EASA type certificate. According to TAI, HÜRKUŞ became the first Turkish aircraft to receive a type certificate from the European Aviation Safety Agency.

The project was divided into variants for different needs over time. While HÜRKUŞ-A was developed as a basic training aircraft with civilian certification, HÜRKUŞ-B emerged with more advanced avionics for military training missions. HÜRKUŞ-C was developed for armed reconnaissance and light attack missions. TAI states that HÜRKUŞ-C has attracted attention especially in the export market.

Why was HÜRKUŞ-II developed?

It would not be right to consider HÜRKUŞ-II as just a minor update of the first HÜRKUŞ. The new generation aircraft was reconsidered in terms of weight, aerodynamics, avionics and domesticity in line with the experiences gained from the first HÜRKUŞ.

The contract between SSB and TAI for the New Generation Basic Training Aircraft program was changed on May 3, 2021. It is stated in TAI's current product information that the HÜRKUŞ New Generation Basic Training Aircraft started to be developed after this contract change.

One of the main goals here was to lighten the aircraft. The maximum takeoff weight of HÜRKUŞ-II is announced as 3,300 kilograms. This value represents a significant decrease compared to the level of approximately 3,750 kilograms in the first generation.

In addition to lower weight, extensive changes were also made to the aerodynamics. The aim of the work carried out on the nose, air intake, exhaust, dorsal fin, wing tips, tail and fuselage structure is to achieve better aerodynamic performance and higher agility.

Another important topic is locality. Carrying out localization studies in different systems such as canopy, cooling, hydraulic pump, radio, IFF and flap actuators both increases the control of the supply chain and creates a structure that can help reduce third country restrictions in exports.

When did HÜRKUŞ-II make its first flight?

The first flight of HÜRKUŞ-II was carried out on December 30, 2024. The first flight lasted about 20 minutes. During this flight, the aircraft reached an altitude of 6,500 feet and a speed of 140 knots.

After the first flight, testing and certification activities continued. In September 2026, Military Type Certificate was received for HÜRKUŞ-II.

According to TAI, during the certification process, 1,790 requirements were verified in 12 different certification disciplines, 950 evidence documents were technically examined and 153 certification tests were carried out.

This certificate shows that one of the critical stages for the delivery of HÜRKUŞ-II to the Turkish Air Force has been completed.

When will HÜRKUŞ-II be delivered to the Turkish Air Force?

There are a total of 55 HÜRKUŞ-II orders for the Turkish Air Force. In the previously announced planning, it was envisaged that the first 15 aircraft would be delivered in 2025 and the remaining 40 aircraft would be completed by 2027. However, as the program schedule progressed, there were changes in the delivery plan.

TAI General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu had previously announced that 22 HÜRKUŞ deliveries were planned in 2026. In the current process, the Military Type Certificate of HÜRKUŞ-II was completed and the acceptance activity was announced as 28 September 2026.

Therefore, we are talking about the stage just before entry into the inventory for HÜRKUŞ-II as of September 26, 2026.

Technical specifications of HÜRKUŞ-II

According to the technical data announced by TAI for the New Generation HÜRKUŞ, the aircraft has a wingspan of 10.86 meters, a length of 11.35 meters and a height of 3.66 meters.

At the heart of the aircraft is the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68T turboprop engine with 1,600 shp power. HÜRKUŞ-II's maximum cruising speed is 288 knots, that is, approximately 533 km/h. Its service ceiling is announced as 39,270 feet and its maximum range is 589 nautical miles or approximately 1,190 kilometers.

Notable features of HÜRKUŞ-II include anti-G system, OBOGS, Martin-Baker ejection seats, high shock absorbing landing gear and inverted flight capability for up to 30 seconds. The aircraft also includes a simulated combat training system.

HÜRKUŞ-II's place in the training chain

HÜRKUŞ-II's main mission is not to fight, but to constitute an important step in the training process of fighter pilots.

The basic logic of the targeted training chain is that the pilot candidate, who starts with a turboprop aircraft during the basic training phase, then moves on to jet training platforms such as HÜRJET and then turns to combat aircraft such as F-16 or KAAN.

For this reason, it is not enough to look only at figures such as maximum speed when evaluating HÜRKUŞ-II. Low operating costs, flight characteristics, avionics, capabilities for pilot training and ease of maintenance are also important.

Who are HÜRKUŞ-II's competitors?

HÜRKUŞ-II is in the turboprop basic and advanced training aircraft class. For this reason, HÜRJET is not a direct competitor; It is positioned as the jet training platform following HÜRKUŞ-II in the training chain.

In the international market, HÜRKUŞ-II is competing with training aircraft such as Pilatus PC-21, KAI KT-1 and HAL HTT-40. In armed missions, it can be expected to compete in different markets with platforms such as Embraer Super Tucano and AT-6 Wolverine.

One of the important sales arguments of HÜRKUŞ-II is the potential to offer the training aircraft together with a high-level jet training platform such as HÜRJET. In addition, increasing domestic subsystems, reducing supply dependency and keeping operating costs competitive are the prominent topics in terms of exports.

Turkey's KT-1T experience

To understand the role of HÜRKUŞ-II in the Turkish Air Force, it is necessary to look at the KT-1T period.

Turkey also used KT-1T aircraft developed by South Korea's KAI company to meet the basic training needs during the development and delivery process of HÜRKUŞ. While there was a main contract for 40 aircraft in the first stage, the option for 15 aircraft was later put into operation due to the delay of HÜRKUŞ.

The mission of the KT-1T was to specifically replace the old Cessna T-37 aircraft and support the basic flight training capacity of the Turkish Air Force.

With the entry of HÜRKUŞ-II into the inventory, it is aimed to increase the weight of domestic design in Turkey's basic training fleet.

Why is HÜRKUŞ-II important for Türkiye?

HÜRKUŞ-II is not just a new training aircraft. For Türkiye, it is a platform where design, production, testing, verification and military certification capabilities are combined on the same project.

Especially the Military Type Certificate received in 2026 draws attention in this respect. The completion of the comprehensive military type certification process for an air platform developed domestically in Turkey, in accordance with international standards and carried out with national human resources, constitutes an important stage in the technical development of HÜRKUŞ-II.

As the product of a project that started in 2006, HÜRKUŞ flew for the first time in 2013 and gained mission and export experience with different variants. In 2021, new generation design studies started. HÜRKUŞ-II made its first flight on December 30, 2024 and completed the military certification process in 2026.

Now all eyes are on the reception event on September 28. With the completion of this phase, the way will be paved for the active use of HÜRKUŞ-II in the training chain of the Turkish Air Force.

HÜRKUŞ-II with TAI's current data; It stands out as a modern turboprop training platform with its maximum take-off weight of 3,300 kilograms, 1,600 shp PT6A-68T engine, cruising speed of 533 km/h, maximum range of 1,190 kilometers and +7/-3 G limits.