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The €2.6 billion Hurjet deal with Spain is not just a training aircraft agreement but a comprehensive package that opens the door to joint development and exports to third countries, Turkish Defense Industry Agency (SSB) President Haluk Gorgun said on Tuesday.
"I want to express that there is an opportunity to jointly develop future models and export other versions to third countries," Gorgun said at TAI facilities following the signing of the agreement for 30 Hurjet jet trainers for the Spanish Air and Space Forces.
"In this agreement package, there will be mutual gains, technological cooperation, and different payloads or subsystems can be integrated, also benefiting from Spain's advanced aviation sector," he added.
Gorgun emphasized that the deal goes far beyond aircraft sales, saying: "This agreement is not just a training aircraft agreement. Together with this training aircraft, it is a contract containing many innovations as a package—ground systems, simulation systems, maintenance and sustainment systems, and a cooperation model."
"This agreement is a high-value-added, multi-dimensional defense industry export package that includes the export of Hurjet, an integrated training architecture covering advanced combat pilot training, ground-based simulation and training systems, maintenance and sustainment infrastructure, and long-term operational support elements," he added.
Gorgun said the deal includes provisions for a customized Spanish version of the aircraft, adding, "Throughout the process, the 'Spanishized' version, which will be updated according to Spain's own needs, will also be included in this package."
This customization, combined with Spain's advanced aviation sector capabilities, creates opportunities for future joint ventures targeting other markets.
Gorgun stressed the importance of mutual benefits in defense exports, noting: "When we discuss defense industry exports with friendly and allied countries and countries we cooperate with, we attach importance to creating a win-win model. We mutually consider both technological and economic gains. This also inspires confidence in our counterparts."
"We are happy and at peace to be exporting such a high-technology product to our ally Spain, a European Union and NATO member country," he added.
He thanked the Spanish Ministry of National Defense and Air Force Command for choosing the aircraft. Gorgun stated the deal signals deeper future cooperation between Türkiye and Spain.
"This contract is important in showing that our cooperation with Spain in the defense industry and high technology will increase further and continue to strengthen," he added.
He noted that a significant portion of last year's defense industry exports went to European Union and NATO members.
"We do not doubt that the cooperation in Hurjet and different products will turn into mutual interaction and gain," he added.
Gorgun highlighted that such projects also benefit Turkish subcontractors, noting, "With such projects, the doors are also opened for subcontractor companies that support platforms."
He noted that Türkiye's defense industry now produces 230 different products exported to approximately 185 countries, with about 200 companies contributing to the Hurjet program.
Gorgun revealed that the Hurjet deal was the "bigger agreement" he had previewed previously.
"At a meeting in Istanbul last week, while sharing a big agreement made by our Aselsan with Poland, I said we would announce an even bigger agreement within a week. This was the Hurjet agreement. Thank Allah, the signatures were completed yesterday," he added. "We are experiencing the happiness of completing 2025 with such a beautiful agreement."
Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir congratulated TAI on the historic export.
"Our national jet aircraft, Hurjet, is being exported to Spain. With the national technology initiative we are pursuing under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkish engineering's signature is being cast into the sky," Kacir said.
"I sincerely congratulate TAI engineers, technicians, all employees and managers, and everyone who contributed to this historic achievement. This pride belongs to the Turkish nation!" he added.
The agreement covers 30 Hurjet aircraft worth €2.6 billion ($3.04 billion), making it one of the highest-value aviation exports in Türkiye's defense industry history.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2028. Türkiye's Hurjet project started in August 2017, and the aircraft made its maiden flight in April 2023.
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