Cabinet approves Rs 6,828-crore plan to source 70 trainer aircraft from HAL

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 1

The Union Cabinet has approved procurement of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at a cost of Rs 6,828.36 crore. The aircraft will be supplied over a period of six years.

Turboprop trainer

• HTT-40 is a turboprop aircraft designed to have good low-speed handling qualities and provide better training effectiveness
• It has an air-conditioned cockpit, modern avionics and eje tion seats

The Cabinet has also approved to sign a contract with Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) for the acquisition of three cadet training ships at an overall cost of Rs 3,108 crore. The delivery of ships is scheduled to commence in 2026.

HTT-40 is a turboprop aircraft designed to have good low-speed handling qualities and provide better training effectiveness. The trainer plane has an air-conditioned cockpit, modern avionics and ejection seats, says the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The aircraft will meet the shortage of basic trainer aircraft of the IAF for the training of newly inducted pilots. The procurement will include associated equipment and training aids, including simulators.

HTT-40 contains 56 per cent indigenous content, which will progressively increase to over 60 per cent through indigenisation of major components and subsystems. HAL will engage Indian private industry, including MSMEs, in its supply chain.

As for the ships, the MoD said these would cater to the training of officer cadets, including women, at sea after their basic training to meet the future requirements of the Navy. The ships would also provide training to cadets from friendly countries in order to strengthen diplomatic relations. The ships can also be deployed for evacuation purposes and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

The ships will be indigenously designed, developed and constructed at the L&T shipyard in Kattupalli, Chennai. “This will encourage active participation of Indian shipbuilding and associated industries, including MSMEs,” added the MoD.

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