HAL set to deliver first batch of delayed trainer aircraft to Indian Air Force | India News

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is set to deliver the first batch of delayed HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft to the Indian Air Force, bolstering the air force’s capacity to meet its growing pilot training requirements, officials aware of the development said on Sunday.Three HTT-40 (Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40) aircraft, two built at Bengaluru and one at Nashik, are ready for delivery, the officials said, asking not to be named.The IAF ordered 70 basic trainers for ₹6,838 crore three years ago to train its rookie pilots. Under the contract, HAL was to deliver 12 trainers to the IAF in fiscal 2025-26 but failed to deliver any aircraft due to a shortage of engines. US firm Honeywell overcame supply chain bottlenecks and delivered the first batch of TPE331-12B turboprop engines a few months ago and assured the state-run firm of timely supplies.Also Read I India moves to buy 5 more S-400s after Op Sindoor success; Russia sends cost proposalUnder a $100 million contract signed four years ago for supplying and manufacturing 88 TPE331-12B engines/kits, Honeywell was supposed to deliver the first engine in September 2025. The US firm will supply 16 units and HAL will build the rest through technology transfer.Last October, defence minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated production lines for the HTT-40 basic trainer and LCA-Mk1A in Nashik to meet the air force’s needs. HAL can now produce a total of 20 HTT-40s a year at its factories in Bengaluru and Nashik. Currently, ab initio (Stage-I) flying training for all rookie pilots is carried out on Swiss-origin Pilatus PC-7 MkII basic trainers. Stage-I training is common for all pilots after which trifurcation into fighter, transport and helicopter streams takes place. Those selected for the fighter stream proceed to Stage-II training on PC-7 MkII and Kiran Mk-1A jet trainers and then Stage-III on the British-origin Hawk advanced jet trainers.