India’s indigenous basic trainer aircraft, Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40), took its maiden flight in Bengalaru on Friday. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was in Bengaluru for the event.
HTT-40, whose detailed design was launched in August 2013 with HAL’s internal funding, was completed in May 2015 and from there it has taken 12 months to fly the first prototype.
The aircraft was designed for first stage training for flying cadets of all three branches of the armed forces. After much delay, the HTT-40 completed its trial run on 31 May.
The Indian Air Force is expected to procure seventy HTT-40 aircrafts.
HAL has said that the programme aims to achieve its operational clearance by 2018, and the company will be manufacturing three prototypes and two static test specimens.
Designed to meet the current demands of the Air force, there is also a provision to include weapons in the trainer aircraft.
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