14 July 2018•Update: 16 July 2018
By Goksel Yildirim
ANKARA
A prototype for Turkey's jet trainer/light attack aircraft will be exhibited for the first time at an international fair next week.
The weeklong Farnborough Airshow, one of the world's top aviation events, starts in the U.K. on Monday.
The Hurjet aircraft is the fruit of an advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft project launched last year by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), and is expected to make its first flight in 2023 -- Turkey’s centennial.
There will be an eagle figure -- a longtime symbol of the Turkish nation and Turkish Air Force -- on the tail of the Hurjet, which will be exhibited at the fair with digital camouflage and domestically produced ammunition.
Hurjet, designed with the goal of 5th-generation training aircraft, will be equipped with an advanced mission computer in its modern cockpit.
The aircraft will be supplied with superior radar and sensitive attack systems, and with its air and ground communication capabilities it will reduce threats and risks.
Hurjet will be 13.4 meters long with a wingspan of 11 meters, and it will provide environmental security in offensive operations.
As noted on Turkish Aerospace Industries’ website, the main aim of Hurjet project is to replace Turkish Air Force's T-38 trainer aircraft fleet -- consisting of some 70 aircraft -- and to meet the needs of potential international customers.
In the project, Hurjet’s maximum altitude is set at 45,000 ft, along with its 3,000-kilogram payload and a maximum speed of Mach 1.2.
*Muhammed Ali Gurtas contributed to this report from Ankara
