Page 21 - ADT JUNE - JULY 2021 Online Magazine

Up for Grabs [ AIR SYSTEMS ]

GLOBAL FIRMS EYE INDIAN TRAINER AIRCRAFT DEAL

Jay Menon

India is receiving a tremendous response from sources, the IAF is looking at trainer aircraft such as the L-39NG,
international companies to its request for infor- built by the Czech Aero Vodochody, andT-50TH Golden Eagle
mation (RFI) to lease at least 20 basic trainer trainer/light combat jets made by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
aircraft for training rookie pilots of the country’s
air force. However, the Indian Air Force (IAF), Recently, the central European aerospace company, and SkyTech, a
which is facing a critical shortage of Basic leading provider of military aviation services and funding solutions,
Trainer Aircraft (BTA), has extended the dates had signed a binding agreement for making available the L-39NG
of submission of the RFI response till Jun 19. fleet for any customer either in the area of training flight hours,
or short, mid and long-term leasing. The L-39NG fleet agreement
A New Trainer for India includes a set of state-of-the-art simulators and debriefing devices

“WE HAVE RECEIVED ADEQUATE for effective training and learning process.

NUMBER OF SUBMISSIONS FROM
INTERNATIONAL AIR-FRAMERS HTT-40 Delayed
AND LESSORS, BUT WE ARE STILL India has only Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) that makes
aircraft, and the state-owned company is busy with the serial pro-
OPEN TO MORE INFORMATION,” duction of the indigenously designed Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40
a senior official at the IAF informed, without or HTT-40 trainer aircraft. Observers say it would be paradoxical
naming any company. for HAL to lease trainers to the IAF, while gearing up to supply 106
BTA, whose acquisition was approved by the Defence Acquisition
Though the RFI to vendors specifies that pref- Council in August 2020. According to HAL, the HTT-40 is currently
erence will be given to Indian companies for undergoing a string of elaborate tests to demonstrate that it is safe
the contract, global entities have been invited for rookie pilots and meets IAF’s exacting standards for trainer
to participate in the bidding process. aircraft. In three to four year the indigenous HTT 40 basic trainer
is expected to join service. The IAF has already issued a Request
“Options are open, we will have a final call on for Proposal (RFP) for 70 basic trainer jets from the state-owned
whether to go with an Indian company or to aircraft maker. Earlier plans were to order additional PC 7s, but
import the aircraft once the entire process that was shelved after Pilatus got embroiled in alleged corruption
is complete,” the official added. According to charges. Currently, the Swiss company is blacklisted in India.

ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY June/July 2021 | 21