The Spanish Air Force has awarded a contract to Turkish Aerospace (TAI) for its adapted Hurjet trainer aircraft, which will be designated SAETA II. Deliveries are slated to begin in 2028.
The deal, part of an Integrated Combat Training System agreement signed with Airbus Defence & Space last December, will see the aging Northrop F‑5M fleet replaced by 30 Turkish‑built advanced jet trainers.
TAI will supply the first 21 aircraft from 2028, with one unit earmarked for Airbus’s defence division to serve as a prototype for next‑generation avionics and mission systems. In a later phase, this initial batch plus the remaining nine trainers will be modified to meet Spanish specifications.
Completed SAETA II aircraft and the associated ground‑based training system (GBTS) are scheduled for delivery between 2031 and 2035. The GBTS, to be installed at Talavera la Real air base, will feature cutting‑edge simulators developed together with Indra.
An initial ground‑training capability will be operational for the Air Force’s Fighter and Strike School by the 2029‑2030 academic year, according to Airbus, which outlined the industrial plan on 28 April.
Spain’s Secretary of State for Defence, Amparo Valcarce, described the SAETA II purchase as a project that energises national industry, creates knowledge, jobs, and opportunities across the whole value chain.
Marta Nogueira, head of Business Spain for Airbus Defence & Space, highlighted that the partnership with TAI includes technology transfer and a substantial industrial return, providing the strategic sovereignty and independence needed for system sustainment and future upgrades.
The Spanish workshare will cover the production of primary components, electrical wiring, and the design and construction of a conversion centre. Additional Spanish firms involved are GMV (supplying INS/GPS navigation and mission computers), Orbital (mission recorders), Sener (data links), and Indra (identification friend‑or‑foe systems).
