The Hürkuş-B aircraft, designed and upgraded by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), carried out its first test flight on Tuesday, according to the Ankara-based company.

The plane, which is expected to be inducted in Turkish Air Force's inventory in mid-2018, is more stable and comprehensive than the previous version, Hürkuş-A, the TAI said.

The training aircraft Hürkuş-A passed its flight test, carried out by European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), in March 2016.

The Hürkuş-B is expected to go through several tests in many categories such as engine, avionics, stability and flight perfection, TAI said.

Additionally, the Hürkuş-B will be part of Turkish Air Force's inventory once the plane completes its planned 90-hour sortie flights.

Indicated the best in its class, Hürkuş-B's all systems such as cockpit, ejection seat, oxygen support, landing gears and weight strength have been designed as a jet cockpit.

TAI President and Chief Executive Officer Temel Kotil said Hürkuş-B's characteristics and dynamics had been renewed after Hürkuş-A, which was made to be used for civil use.

"Hürkuş-B is 100-kilogram [220-pound] lighter than Hürkuş-A.

"It is also faster, more modern and powerful than Hürkuş-A. This version was designed as a more stable and comprehensive plane," Kotil said.

TAI's wing design for the HÜRKUŞ-B was produced in a more balanced and comprehensive way than the original HÜRKUŞ.

It is one more step toward the HÜRKUŞ-C, which will be an armed close air support aircraft.

The HÜRKUŞ-C will have the ability to use domestically developed missile and guided bombs in addition to night vision.

Based in Ankara, the TAI is serving the aerospace and defense industries by manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles, aircraft, helicopters and satellites, and their components.

TAI was established in June 1973 under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Technology in order to reduce foreign dependency in the countrytarget="_blank"'>