HAL Reaffirms Support To IAF After Basic Trainer Fallout

India’s state-run aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) today issued a statement reiterating its commitment to the Indian Air Force after sections of the Indian media reported that it HAL’s HTT-40 project annulled.

“HAL clarifies that the matter is before the competent authorities and there are no comments to offer on this subject in particular. HAL continues to whole heartedly support the progress of Indian Air Force and highly values its relationship with IAF,” the statement said.

According to reports,the Indian Air Force relaxed 12 benchmarks to allow aircraft-maker Pilatus to qualify and win the 2009 Basic Trainer Aircraft contract worth $640 million while HAL was pursuing the indigenous development of 181 BTAs known as the Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40).

The HTT-40 would prove to be "62% more expensive from 2017 onwards", when it will be ready, than the Pilatus. "Conversely, the first 75 Pilatus will be delivered by 2015. And if the option clause is exercised, 37 more Pilatus could be delivered by 2017," according to the IAF.

HAL’s contribution to the armed forces by way of supplying aircraft/helicopters and maintaining them is evident with the presence of HAL built aircraft (both from indigenous design and licence manufacturing) in their existing fleet: fighter aircraft (80%), trainers (93%) and helicopters (65%), the statement added.

In addition to indigenously designed aircraft, HAL has produced 14 types of aircraft under licence. Aircraft in the current range of production are SU-30MKI, Hawk, Dornier DO-228 and Cheetah/Chetak, the said.