Saturday, June 5, 2010

Hurkus: Turkey's first indigenously designed military aircraft since the 1940s

Posted by newsonline at 4:58 PM 0 Comments

Turkish Aerospace Industries has selected Microtecnica to provide the environmental control system for its new Hurkus primary and basic trainer.

Ankara contracted TAI in March 2006 to develop the tandem-seat design for the Turkish air force, and the first of two prototypes should be delivered next year for testing.

Turkey's first indigenously designed military aircraft since the 1940s, the trainer will have an all-digital avionics suite, a cruise speed of over 250kt (462km/h) and be certificated to operate from +7g to -3.5g, says TAI.

The aircraft's design has recently been approved, following a critical design review held on 2 April. Its first components are in assembly.

Microtecnica says its control system "will use energy-saving technology by taking advantage of bleed air from the Hurkus's turboprop engine to pressurise, ventilate and heat the cabin." Cooling will be provided by using a separate vapour cycle compressor. Work on a prototype of the system will conclude "in autumn 2010", it adds.

The Hurkus win follows Microtecnica's May receipt of an estimated €20 million ($24 million) contract to design and supply a secondary environmental control system for Saab's Gripen NG. This will use bleed air from the fighter's General Electric F414 turbofan engine.

Headquartered in Turin, Italy, Microtecnica produces flight-control actuation and thermal control systems for fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters at its manufacturing plants in Luserna and Milan. The company also has a research and development facility in Bristol, the UK.