The Union Cabinet has approved the procurement of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force at a cost of Rs 6,828.36 crore., according to an official statement issued today.

The aircraft will meet the shortage of basic trainer aircraft of the IAF for training of newly inducted pilots. The planes will be supplied over a period of six years.

The HTT-40 is a turbo prop aircraft and is designed to have good low speed handling qualities and provide better training. This fully aerobatic tandem seat turbo trainer has air-conditioned cockpit, modern avionics, hot re-fuelling, running change over and zero-zero ejection seats, the defence ministry statement said.

The procurement will include associated equipment and training aids including simulators. The aircraft is also configurable for upgrades to incorporate the futuristic requirements of the Indian Armed Forces.

The HTT-40 contains approx. 56% indigenous content which will progressively increase to over 60% through indigenisation of major components and subsystems, the statement said.

The HAL would engage Indian private industry, including MSMEs, in its supply chain. The procurement has the potential to provide direct employment to around 1,500 personnel and indirect employment for up to 3,000 people spread over more than 100 MSMEs.

The acquisition of the HTT-40 will provide a fillip to the Indian Aerospace Defence ecosystem and boosts efforts towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign.