Kazim AlamThe world’s largest aerospace and technology festival, TEKNOFEST, got underway in Istanbul on Wednesday, drawing thousands of enthusiastic participants to stalls showcasing cutting-edge technology, from fighter planes to unmanned drones.
The pavilions of defence-sector companies, in particular, stole the spotlight as participants, including schoolchildren, lined up to witness advanced Turkish weaponry and aerospace technologies.
The mass appeal for the Türkiye-made aircraft and helicopters at the TEKNOFEST is reflective of the rapid growth that the country’s defence industry has witnessed in recent years. With defence-related exports of $7.15 billion in 2024, up 29 percent from 2023, Turkish defence companies are now selling drones and armoured vehicles to 180 countries.
For example, Spain is looking to buy up to 30 units of Hurjet, a single-engine supersonic advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft designed and developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).
“Hurjet is a state-of-the-art jet that’ll be hugely beneficial for the training of sixth-generation aircraft pilots,” a TAI representative tells TRT World on the sidelines of TEKNOFEST. He spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Currently at a conceptual stage, sixth-generation jets are expected to become operational in the 2030s. These will be a major improvement over existing fighter fleets because of their extensive use of AI.
“There’s interest from many countries to buy Hurjet to train their next generation of pilots,” he says about the jet that is drawing lots of interest from participants of all age groups at TEKNOFEST.
Türkiye’s defence industry has achieved remarkable self-sufficiency over the last two decades, moving from foreign dependency level of 80 percent to just 20 percent today.
Hurjet, which means free jet in English, combines cost-effectiveness with cutting-edge avionics. It is rapidly emerging as a viable competitor to Western training aircraft like the Boeing-Saab T-7 Red Hawk and South Korean KAI T-50, the TAI representative says.
News reports show Hurjet has been proposed to the US Navy, which is looking to replace its fleet of training aircraft with 145 new jets by 2028, as a replacement for its ageing T-45 Goshawk aircraft.
Hurjet made its maiden flight in 2023 and is currently undergoing maturation. The aircraft is also evolving from a purely trainer jet into a multi-role platform capable of providing close air support, air policing, and even limited strike missions in asymmetric conflicts.
“It’s all indigenous, except for the engine. The most important part is the design. We designed it entirely on our own. We hope that the engine will also be indigenous in the future,” says the TAI representative.
TAI is already a major exporter of two kinds of helicopters. The T129 ATAK, a licensed variant of the Italian A129 Mangusta, is an attack and reconnaissance helicopter, heavily upgraded with Turkish avionics and weapons.
The other one is the indigenous T625 Gokbey, a multi-role utility chopper built to operate in challenging climates and terrains at high altitudes during both day and night.
Türkiye exported six units of T129 ATAK helicopters, currently on display at the TEKNOFEST pavilion of TAI, to the Philippines between 2022 and 2024. These are being used by the Philippine Air Force for counter-insurgency operations.
Nigeria also bought half a dozen units of these choppers for its air force to deploy them in counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram.
