India Nears New Jet-Trainer Decision

Asian Aerospace 2000 -- Arrival at Changi of the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets of the French air force aerobatic team via Delhi may have been rather more than a convenient coincidence. Heavy accident attrition, involving the loss of around 30 aircraft in the past year, is intensifying the urgency of the Indian air force's long-standing advanced jet-trainer (AJT) requirement. Although out of production for many years, the Alpha Jet has been short-listed, alongside BAE's Hawk, by the IAF for its AJT program.

IAF chiefs' pressure for an early AJT decision-finally due last November-was again stalled by India's politicians, who wanted to re-open the evaluation process to include several previously-rejected contenders. Among these were Russia's MiG-AT and YakAEM-130, although neither has yet achieved full-scale production.

Licensed production by Hindustan Aeronautics is an important part of the AJT requirement, which includes 42 from HAL assembly, following 24 from the original constructors in the planned initial batch of 66 aircraft. Dassault's bid to India has been sweetened by offers for inclusion of the entire jigs and tooling for Alpha Jet production, which are still available and in good condition.
Early deliveries are also required, since the IAF has been without an advanced trainer for the past decade or more, following retirement of its Ajeets and two-seat Hunters. Current transition by student fighter pilots from the HAL Kiran basic trainer to two-seat MiG-21Us appears to have been a step too far, and to have contributed to the high accident rate of this widely-used IAF type.

Although engine selection remains to be finalized in the next few weeks, design of HAL's projected 9,920 pound HJT-36 has been frozen and construction started, for a first flight in April 2001. As an intermediate trainer to replace the HAF's Kirans, however, it is not designed to fulfil the IAF's advanced trainer needs. AJT funding still presents problems, but the IAF is giving maximum priority to final selection, now due in March.

By John Fricker