Turkey to receive first KT-1 trainers

The Turkish air force will begin replacing its Cessna T-37 jet trainers with Korea Aerospace Industries’ KT-1 next month, with the new type now undergoing flight testing.

Ankara is to receive 40 KT-1s under a deal signed in June 2007, with the first five to be completed by KAI. The remainder will be produced under licence at Turkish Aerospace Industries’ Akinci facility.

A first batch of three South Korean-built aircraft are being flight-tested by TAI, and should be delivered in late November, the company says.

Turkey’s undersecretary of defence industries procurement agency is in talks with KAI to remove an option for a further 15 KT-1s from the programme.

Meanwhile, TAI will roll out its first flight test example of Turkey’s indigenous “Hurkus” basic trainer in January. The turboprop-powered aircraft should make its flight debut late in 2011.

Flight Global

Short URL: http://www.trdefence.com/?p=2046

Posted by ssm on Oct 27 2010 Filed under Air Force, Industry News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.