TAI Hürkus

Summary

Description

The TAI Hürkuş program commenced in March 2006 with an agreement between the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSB) and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). The program's objective was the design, manufacture, and civil certification of the aircraft to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) CS 23 standards, intended to provide a trainer and ground attack aircraft for the Turkish Armed Forces. Development work on the Hürkuş involved one million man-hours by June 2012, supported by 140 engineers. The aircraft was officially unveiled on 27 June 2012 at TAI’s Kazan facility. The first flight occurred on 29 August 2013 from Ankara Akıncı Air Base, lasting 33 minutes.

The TAI Hürkuş features a tandem two-seat, low-wing design, configured for trainer and ground attack roles. Pilot visibility is facilitated by a 50-degree down-view angle from the rear cockpit. The aircraft is equipped with cabin pressurization (nominal 4.16 psid), Martin-Baker Mk T-16 N 0/0 ejection seats, an onboard oxygen generation system (OBOGS), and an Environmental Control System with Vapor Cycle Cooling. An anti-G system and high shock absorbing landing gear are incorporated for training operations. Hands On Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) controls are provided for enhanced pilot interface. The design life of the airframe is 35 years.

The Hürkuş-B variant incorporates an integrated avionics suite featuring a Head-Up Display (HUD), Multi-Function Displays (MFDs), and a mission computer, arranged in a cockpit layout consistent with that of F-16 and F-35 fighters. The armed Hürkuş-C variant is equipped with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor and has a maximum weapons load capacity of 3,300lb (1,500kg). This variant is designed to operate from unprepared runways and is configured for close air support and pilot training missions. Armament options for the Hürkuş-C include 12.7mm and 20mm gun pods, Roketsan Cirit 2.75-inch rockets, Roketsan UMTAS missiles, Mk-81 bombs with LGK-81 guidance kits, Mk-82 bombs, Tübitak SAGE HGK-3 (82), Tübitak SAGE KGK-82, BDU33, MK106 training ordnance, TUBITAK-SAGE TOGAN, TUBITAK-SAGE BOZOK, and MAM (Smart Micro Munition).

Operational commitments include an order from the Turkish Air Force for 55 Hürkuş-B trainers, with an additional 15 Hürkuş-II aircraft planned for delivery in 2025. The Turkish Land Forces plan to acquire 24 Hürkuş-C aircraft, and the Gendarmerie General Command also plans acquisitions of the Hürkuş-C. Export customers include the Niger Air Force, which operates two Hürkuş-B aircraft, the Chadian Air Force, which operates three Hürkuş-C variants, and the Libyan Air Force, which has the Hürkuş-C on order.

Main Variants:

• Hürkuş-A: Basic version certified by EASA according to CS-23 requirements, intended for the civilian market.

• Hürkuş-B: Advanced version with integrated avionics including HUD, MFDs, and a mission computer, featuring a cockpit layout similar to F-16 and F-35 fighters.

• Hürkuş-C: Armed variant designed for close air support and pilot training, with a maximum weapons load of 3,300lb (1,500kg), a FLIR sensor, and capable of operating from unprepared runways.

• Coast Guard version: Planned maritime patrol variant for the Turkish Coast Guard, equipped with a FLIR sensor.

• Hürkuş-C UAS: Unmanned version of the Hürkuş-C Counter-Insurgency Aircraft under development for the Turkish Armed Forces.

Technical specifications

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	Turkey	1 (+78)

Numbers in parentheses, e.g. '(+5)', indicate units ordered but not yet delivered.

All operators

Turkey

Armament

Missiles payload:

• Anti-Tank Rocketsan UMTAS

Bombs payload:

• Training Douglas BDU-33
• Low-Drag Mk 81
• Low-Drag Mk 82
• Training Mk 106
• Guided TUbitak SAGE HGK-3
• Guided TUbitak SAGE KGK-82