The training of its future pilots assigned to TAI/Airbus, in a measure that redefines the industrial and military dynamics of the Nato

The Spanish Council of Ministers has given the green light to an ambitious and wide-ranging Defence modernization plan worth a total of €3.68 billion, intended to revolutionize the Ejército del Aire y del Espacio and the other armed forces by 2030. The most significant and unexpected component of this package is the acquisition of up to 45 advanced trainer and light combat Hürjet aircraft of Turkish manufacture, a step that not only addresses an urgent operational need but projects Spain into a new era of defence cooperation within NATO.

According to official documents published in the Spanish Official Gazette (by Royal Decree 848/2025) on 24 September 2025, Spain approved the provision of €1.04 billion in zero‑interest loans to Airbus Defence and Space for the Hürjet programme, known as the "Integrated Advanced Flight–Combat Training System" (ITS‑C).

The replacement of the obsolete SF-5M

Madrid’s decision was driven by the pressing need to replace its obsolete fleet of 19 Northrop SF-5M Freedom Fighters. These jets, in service since the early 1970s at Talavera la Real Air Base in Badajoz, are now technologically outmoded and slated for final retirement by 2030.

The Hürjet, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), prevailed over high‑profile Western competitors (such as the Boeing T‑7 Red Hawk and the Leonardo M‑346 Master). The Turkish jet is a supersonic, tandem‑seat, single‑engine trainer capable of reaching Mach 1.4. Following its maiden flight on 25 April 2023, the Hürjet has demonstrated itself as a mature platform ready for operational integration. Its selection ensures that Spain will train the next generation of pilots on a supersonic aircraft able to simulate complex air combat manoeuvres and integrate seamlessly with frontline platforms such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and the future sixth‑generation fighter of the Fcas programme.

Industrial Collaboration and Timelines

The agreement foresees a complex and strategic industrial collaboration. The first aircraft will be produced at TAI facilities in Turkey, but will subsequently be modified and customised at Airbus DS España facilities. This localisation of part of the assembly in Spain is crucial to integrate the avionics, mission software and training systems required by the Spanish Air Force, while also ensuring significant involvement of the national industry. Hürjet deliveries are scheduled to start in 2028. The first tranche of jets will be ready for the familiarisation and training period 2029/2030, with the entry into service of the definitive Spanish‑configured variant estimated for 2031.

The wide modernization program: fighters and helicopters

The acquisition of the Hürjet is only part of a much broader modernization programme that affects all air capabilities of the Spanish Armed Forces, for a total of 168 new aircraft. The main elements of the €3.68 billion plan approved by the Government therefore include:

- 45 Hürjet jets (€1.04 billion): advanced trainers for the Air Force.

- 32 NH‑90 helicopters (€1 billion): multirole helicopters, destined for the Army for tactical missions, the Air Force for Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR/SAR) operations and the Navy for amphibious transport. They will be assembled in Spain.

- 54 light Helipo helicopters (€920 million): multipurpose units, likely the H‑145M model.

- 18 C‑295 transport aircraft (€520 million): to replace the CN.235 and T.12 Aviocar fleets, with final assembly in Seville.

- 13 H‑135 helicopters (€100 million): for Navy and Air Force training.

- 6 H‑175 helicopters (€100 million): assigned to the Haces programme to replace the fleet of Ala 48.

Geopolitical and NATO implications

The choice of a Turkish aircraft over Western (American and Italian) rivals carries deep geostrategic significance. For Spain, the partnership provides a modern and cost‑effective training solution, aligned with NATO interoperability standards and strengthening its position as a contributor to European air security.

For Turkey, this agreement is a historic moment. It marks the first confirmed export of the Hürjet to a NATO and European Union member, a turning point that validates Ankara’s ambitions to become a global aerospace exporter. This success lends credibility to the Turkish defence industry, potentially opening the door to further interest from other NATO allies, such as Poland, Greece and Hungary, which are also evaluating replacements for their ageing trainers. The agreement reinforces a Madrid–Ankara cooperation axis that, according to analysts, could in future extend to combat drones and electronic warfare systems.