Spain has formally launched an industrial program to introduce the TAI Hürjet as the replacement for its aging Northrop F-5 trainer fleet, with 30 aircraft set to be modified for the Spanish Air and Space Force.
Airbus said on Tuesday it will lead the program, which was awarded in December 2025, while Turkish Aerospace Industries will supply the Hürjet aircraft.
The aircraft will be redesignated as SAETA II in Spanish service and will be used for advanced fighter pilot training.
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The first phase of the program will begin in 2028 with the delivery of 21 aircraft. One jet will be used as a prototype to integrate Spanish avionics and mission systems, while work also starts on ground-based training infrastructure.
That includes simulators being developed with Indra Sistemas, which are expected to enter service during the 2029-2030 training cycle.
A second phase will convert the initial 21 aircraft and the remaining nine jets to Spain’s final configuration. Deliveries of the completed SAETA II fleet and simulator systems are scheduled between 2031 and 2035.
Spain selected the Hürjet last year after evaluating alternatives to replace the F-5s used by the Air Force’s fighter training school at Talavera la Real Air Base.
The program also gives Spanish companies a larger role in the aircraft’s long-term support. Airbus said domestic firms will be responsible for integrating several mission systems, including avionics, datalink, mission recording and identification systems.
The F-5 has been used by Spain for advanced jet training for decades, and its replacement had become increasingly urgent as the fleet aged.
