The Hürkuş-II will replace the TAF’s current Hürkuş-B trainers, with the first 15 aircraft expected to be delivered this year and the remaining 40 being handed over by 2027.
The new advanced version of Hürkuş, Turkey’s primary trainer aircraft, named Hürkuş-II, made its maiden flight on Dec. 30, 2024, marking its entry into the competitive market for that class of trainers dominated by Swiss, American and Brazilian aircraft. The trainer has been developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI or TUSAŞ) for the Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri).
TAI said on X, sharing the video of the test flight, that the plane reached an altitude of 6,500 feet and touched a speed of 140 knots, with the flight lasting for 20 minutes. As per Turkish reports, TAI has signed a contract for 55 aircraft with the Presidency of Defense Industries.
The first 15 Hürkuş-IIs are expected to be delivered to the 122nd Basic Flight Training Squadron at the 3rd Main Jet Base in Konya in 2025. The remaining 40 aircraft will be delivered by 2027 to replace the TAF’s Hürkuş-B trainers.
The Hürkuş-II has a composite structure which is lighter than the current Hürkuş-A and Hürkuş-B.It is powered by a 1,600 hp PT6A-68T Pratt & Whitney Canada turboprop engine with 30 seconds inverted flight capability, and has Martin-Baker MK T16N 0/0 ejection seats.
As the video shows, Hürkuş-II sports a large wide-angle HUD (Heads-Up Display) and a new canopy. Additionally, it has a domestically developed cooling system, hydraulic pump and an advanced communications suite. “In this way, the Turkish Air Force will have modern and domestically produced training aircraft,” the report mentioned.
Olsun artık dökülen kanlarımın hepsi helal! 🇹🇷
Pilotlarımızın eğitimi için Hava Kuvvetlerimize teslim edilecek olan HÜRKUŞ uçuşunu başarıyla tamamladı.
✅6.500 feet irtifa
✅140 knot hız
✅20 dakika uçuş süresi
Hedeflerimize doğru emin adımlarla ilerliyoruz. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/12ZU8hPqoP
— Türk Havacılık Uzay Sanayii (@TUSAS_TR) December 30, 2024
Hürkuş-II flies
The video showed the turboprop-powered Hürkuş-II in a factory primer yellow paint being readied on the tarmac, with a single pilot boarding it. The plane is shown flying with its landing gear extended for the entire time, as usual for the first flight of any new aircraft, and a pitot tube extending from near the tip of the right wing.
The video is recorded from an unidentified chase aircraft, also bearing a similar paint scheme, before Hürkuş-II comes into land. The flight also follows claims in March by TUSAŞ deputy general manager Fahrettin Öztürk, who said the “production continues rapidly” and that “the time we will see it in the skies is very close,” according to Defence Turk.
“This version is lighter and more functional. Flight performance will be very high,” the report quoted him further. The aircraft can be used in all training levels “between basic training and fighter aircraft conversion” along with “close air support missions in challenging operations.”
The Hürkuş-II has been described as “a tandem-seat, low-wing, single-engine, turboprop trainer aircraft, offering superior performance as a next-generation advanced trainer and light attack aircraft.” The report additionally quoted TAI officials who listed the Hürkuş-II being capable of border patrol and security, anti-narcotics operations, close air support, armed reconnaissance, aerial interdiction, surveillance and reconnaissance, forward airborne air control and escort and scan.
The aircraft is capable of both VFR (Visual Flight Rules) and IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) operations. As safety features, it carries an OBOGS (On-Board Oxygen Generation System) and has a reinforced canopy for bird strikes; and a high-shock absorption landing gear.
International market
The armed mission profiles could be attractive for many African, Central Asian and South-East Asian customers dealing with counter-insurgency and regional border disputes. Some are already using TAI’s and Baykar’s UCAV and UAVs like the Akinci, TB-2 and Aksungur (Anka-2). Baykar’s acquisition of Italian aerospace giant Piaggio also generally speaks of Ankara’s aggressive global ambitions.
🇹🇷AAG_th บันทึกประจำวัน: เครื่องบินฝึกใบพัด Hürkus-II ตุรกีรุ่นใหม่ทำการบินครั้งแรก https://t.co/XZcx6iLawj#Turkey #AirForce @TUSAS_EN #TurkishAerospace @SSB_Eng @tcsavunma #Hürkuş_II #HÜRKUŞ #Aircraft pic.twitter.com/OwmVjJBcLB
— AAG_th (@aag_th) January 3, 2025
In late November, Japan’s MoD (Ministry of Defense) chose the U.S.-made T-6 Texan II for the JASDF (Japan Air Self-Defense Force), where the Pilatus PC-7MKX and the Hürkuş were also competitors. It is not known whether TAI pitched the original aircraft or the latest variant it just flew for the Japanese program.
If it was the latter, the company may have possibly accounted for the imminent flight of the Hürkuş-II towards the end of 2024, and rapidly conclude development and kick off serial production to begin deliveries to both the Turkish and Japanese air forces. The additional international order would have also cut costs through economies of scale.
As The Aviationist reported at the time of the deal for the Japanese aircraft, the Hürkuş was supported by the Hundred Training Corp. in what appeared to be a local manufacturing and assembly partner, which enhances the aircraft’s marketability. Local assembly, which could also include transfer of technology, simplifies the logistics, maintenance and spare part sourcing, besides accruing economic benefits to the buyer country.
HÜRKUŞ-II: Daha hafif, daha gelişmiş
HÜRKUŞ-II, ilk nesil HÜRKUŞ’a göre daha hafif yapısıyla öne çıkıyor. Daha gelişmiş aviyoniklere sahip olan HÜRKUŞ-II’den Türk Hava Kuvvetlerine 50 adet teslim edilmesi planlanıyor. pic.twitter.com/GShUaVuile
— Mavi Savunma (@mavisavunma) December 30, 2024
Brazil’s Embraer A-29 Super Tucano is another proven platform in both the light CAS (Close Air Support) and primary flight training roles. India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HTT-40 is another platform, but has so far not been visibly and actively marketed internationally.
