Trkiye: Trkiye's new-generation basic trainer aircraft Hurkus-II is preparing to enter the Turkish Air Force's inventory, marking the beginning of a new era for the country's military aviation. Haluk Gorgun, head of Trkiye's Defense Industries Secretariat, and Turkish Air Force Commander Gen. Rafet Dalkiran participated in flights aboard the domestically developed Hurkus-II and Hurjet aircraft.

According to Anadolu Agency, Gorgun said Trkiye's first Hurkus-II aircraft would be delivered to the Air Force Command shortly. 'When you sit in an aircraft's cockpit, you feel much more closely the immense effort extending from the design table to the production line, and from testing to flight,' he said on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal. 'Now, this effort is about to yield another result. We will deliver our first Hurkus-II aircraft to our Air Force Command very soon,' he added.

In a video shared after the flight, Gorgun described the impending delivery as a milestone for Trkiye. 'For the first time, Trkiye is delivering a domestically produced aircraft to its own armed forces. It was very, very meaningful,' he said. 'These were also the final tests today. Being part of these final tests was an additional source of pride for us.'

Dalkiran also highlighted the significance of flying aboard a Turkish-made aircraft. 'As commander of the Turkish Air Force, nothing could make me prouder than flying an aircraft produced by our own country,' he said. After the flight, Gorgun asked Dalkiran whether the aircraft had passed the test and whether its acceptance had been completed, to which the commander responded: 'Excellent. Done.'

Gorgun and Dalkiran also participated in a Hurjet test flight during which the aircraft demonstrated Trkiye's domestically developed radar capabilities. During the flight, the Hurjet P2 aircraft used Aselsan's domestically developed MURAD active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar to detect and lock onto the Hurjet P1 aircraft. Gorgun said the Turkish Air Force's personnel would receive their initial training aboard the Hurkus before completing advanced training with the Hurjet.

'The HURJET flown by our commander, which was equipped with the AESA radar developed by Aselsan, locked onto the HURJET we were flying from a certain distance,' he said. 'This was a first. Experiencing this, witnessing a historic moment and walking this path together with our entire team and valuable personnel is immensely meaningful,' he added.