Hurjet Trainer Will Be Steppingstone to Turkish Indigenous Fighter

摘要

The ranks of the number of countries offering advanced jet trainers are about to swell as Turkey prepares to make its move.Turkish Aerospace (TAI) Hurjet is poised to join an already crowded market that is dominated by types such as the BAE Hawk, Korean Aerospace Industries T-50s and Leonardo M-346s, as well as the Russian and Chinese equivalents of the latter aircraft, the Yakolev Yak-130 and the Hongdu L-15, respectively.TAI will face a further challenge from whichever machine is victorious in the U.S. T-X next-generation trainer competition.Yet CEO Temel Kotil seems unconcerned about the crowded playing field. "We want to challenge the market on price," he told Aviation Week at the recent Farnborough Airshow, where the company debuted a full-scale mockup of the aircraft.The single-engine tandem-seat high-wing aircraft will have a maximum speed of around Mach 1.2 and a 6,000-lb. (2,721-kg) payload capacity. Although its gross weight hasnot been revealed, it is likely to be 12 metric tons, in line with competitors equipped with a 17,000-lb.-thrust-class engine. No engine decision has been formalized; General Electric's F404 would be one option, but Kotil says this is under discussion.