India's Home-grown Basic Trainer HTT-40 Completes Maiden Flight

Indian state-run Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) completed the maiden trail flight of its indigenous basic trainer HTT-40 (Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40) Tuesday.

The first flight took off around 8 in the morning in Bengaluru. India plans to procure 70 basic trainers for $54 million for the Indian Air Force.

“The HTT-40 aircraft will be formally unveiled within a fortnight, depending upon the availability of senior officials of Ministry of Defense & Indian Air Force for a formal ceremony,” Sputnik quoted unnamed sources as saying.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has issued a requirement for 183 basic trainer aircraft like the Pilatus PC-7 Mk-II. At present IAF possesses 75 Swiss manufactured PC-7 Mk-II while the procurement of an additional 38 PC-7 MK II aircraft likely to be concluded in the current financial year (2016-17). The HTT-40 produced by HAL will fulfill the quota requirements.

According to sources, HAL is likely to build the first two HTT-40 in 2018 and then from 2020 onward 20 aircraft will be delivered every year. India also aims to export a weapon equppied version of HTT-40 to countries like Myanmar and various African nations.