Breaking! IAF Moves Ahead with IJT Procurement from Abroad ??

[kurup]

IJT HJT-36 Sitara at DefExpo 2014

The IAF recently released a Request for Information for an Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) that would be used primarily for Stage-2 training of its pilots with a secondary counter insurgency role.

The selected vendor will be required to discharge 30% offset obligations as per the provisions of DPP-2013.

First thing first! The release of the RFI doesn't mean the HJT-36 Sitara project is dead. Neither does it mean that the Sitara won't be the IJT that the IAF ultimately ends up procuring!

The RFI is likely aimed at ensuring that the IAF has a fallback if the Sitara fails to obtain IOC by June 2014 and FOC in reasonable time thereafter.

Even if HAL surprises the IAF and the country by obtaining IOC in June, and FOC in December, its HJT-36 Sitara may not measure up to the QRs stipulated in the IAF RFI, specially those pertaining to Stall and Spin characteristics.

An HAL rep told IDP Sentinel at DefExpo 2014 on February 7, 2014 that HJT-36 is likely to commence stall tests within a month. HAL has identified the point on the wing where the boundary layer flow is turning turbulent and breaking up leading to a pre-stall wing drop; HAL plans to use boundary layer energizing strakes to remedy the problem.

What is clear to me as a pilot is that there is little chance of HAL remedying the issue by IOC. In a recent statement in parliament Minister of State for Defense Shri Jitendra Singh hinted that stall and spin characteristic refinement could wait till FOC. That would be a big mistake, because there is really no guarantee that the problem would be remedied - ever! Besides, there is too much optimism in the belief that it could happen by December 2014. If it was that simple, it would have been remedied already. After all, it's nearly three years since PT1 crashed in April 2011 following loss of control.

HJT-36 appears in compliance of all QR's stated in the RFI. Indeed, the QRs are likely to be an exact copy of the QRs given to HAL for developing the HJT-36.

I will go to the extent of saying, the IAF'S Spin QRs are contestable as being overstated.
Luckily for HAL, there are few single engine jet trainers around. Two contenders could be Italy's Aermacchi MB-339 and Spain's CASA C-101.

Anyway, it's for the reader to judge. Here is a summary of the IJT RFI QRs

General Characteristic
The IAF is looking for a light, twin seat (tandem or side-by-side?), single engine jet trainer with conventional controls in which the instructor seat can be used for simulating emergencies.

Stall and Spin
The aircraft must give an unmistakable natural stall warning, irrespective of the configuration. It must be resistant to spin but should allow intentional spinning with safe recovery upto six turns to either side. The aircraft behavior in the spin should be predictable and consistent.

Handling Characteristics
The IJT should be capable of performing loops, barrel rolls, rolls, combination maneuvers and negative 'g' flight without adverse effects on the engine and aircraft structure. It should be capable of sustained inverted flight for at least 30 seconds at sea level at maximum takeoff power.

Flying Envelope
When flying in Normal Training Configuration (NTC), the aircraft must be capable of maneuvering at up to to +7.0 g to -2.5 g. (NTC would correspond to clean configuration or with empty drop tanks) With external stores (other than empty drop tank) the aircraft should be cleared for operations at accelerations upto +5g and -1.5g

Max speed in NTC must not be less than 750 kph CAS and the aircraft should not display any marked compressibility effects upto 0.75 M. A service ceiling of 9-km is required.

In clean configuration in level flight stall speed must not exceed 175 kph without flaps or slats. NTC glide ratio should be better than 1:12

Climb and Turn Performance
In NTC, the takeoff distance to clear a 15-m obstacle from a dry, hard surfaced runway at sea level and with nil wind must not exceed 900-m; ROC must be at least 20 m/s.

The aircraft should be able to perform sustained turns up to 3.5 ‘g’ at sea level in NTC and 2.25 ‘g’ at max AUW.

Range and Endurance
NTC ferry range should be at least 1500-km and endurance, 2-hr at 3-km altitude.

Armament
The aircraft should be capable of carrying at least 1000 kg of external load, have a minimum of five hard points, each stressed to carry at least 300-kg stores. It should be, free from buffet, dutch roll, snaking and wing rock during air to ground weapon training.

The aircraft should be capable of employing the following armament :-

(a) Gun. A light weight gun/ gun-pod with adequate ammunition for at least 5 sec of firing time.
(b) Rocket Pods. Reusable rocket pods.
(c) Bombs. Should be able to carry at least 4x250 kg retarded or ballistic bombs. The stations should be capable of employing Carrier Bomb Light Stores (CBLS) type of dispensers for carriage of practice bombs (25 lbs and 3 Kg).

Thum! Kaun Aata Hai?: Breaking! IAF Moves Ahead with IJT Procurement from Abroad

 

[kurup]

India Looking Abroad For Intermediate Jet Trainers

Saddled with obsolete training aircraft, the Indian air force (IAF) has decided to snub the long-delayed, indigenous HJT-36 Sitara intermediate jet trainer (IJT) and purchase new trainers from abroad.

The IAF has issued a request for information for a lightweight, single-engine, twin-seat trainer with a secondary light attack capability, an official at India’s ministry of defense says.“We have asked the vendors to provide cost details for the direct purchase of IJTs for batch sizes of 10, 20, 30 and 50 aircraft,” he says.

The RFI comes weeks after Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony said the much-delayed Sitara IJT is likely to be operational this year. “All efforts are being made by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. [HAL] for achieving the final operational clearance by December 2014,” Antony had said.

The IAF has been reluctant to exercise the option of buying an IJT since the state-run HAL has been developing a trainer for the force for the last 15 years.

“We are forced to take this decision as deadlines for getting the operational clearance for Sitara have been breached on a number of occasions,” the IAF official says.

The RFI for new a IJT states that the aircraft should be capable of operating from airfields at least 2000 meters above mean sea level (AMSL), with a goal of 3,000 meters. Submissions are due on April 4.

The official says the aircraft should be capable of carrying at least 1000 kg (2,200 lb.) of external load and be equipped with a minimum of five hard points, with each stressed to carry at least 300 kg.

“The aircraft should be capable of employing a lightweight gun-pod with adequate ammunition for at least five seconds of firing time [and] reusable rocket pods, and [should] be able to carry at least [four 250-kg bombs],” he says.

IAF also has made it clear that potential vendors will be put through a trial evaluation in India on a “no cost, no commitment” basis and a staff evaluation would be carried out to analyze the results of the field evaluation before shortlisting the equipment for introduction into service.

The deal will include costs for comprehensive annual maintenance support, including all spares program for supporting operations of 10, 20 and 30 aircraft at a utilization rate of 30 hr. per aircraft per month.

The lack of trainer aircraft to train new IAF recruits has been affecting the force, with new pilots often unable to handle highly demanding fighters like MiG-21s. Almost 40% of the 1,050 crashes recorded by the IAF since 1970, for instance, have been attributed to “human error.”

The HJT-36 was to have entered service with the IAF in June 2012 as a Stage-II trainer, replacing the aging HAL Kiran Mk. 1 and Mk. 2 in service. However, in 2011, flight-testing suffered a major setback when a Sitara crashed in stall testing.

Kiran Mk-I was due to be phased out this year but its lifespan has been extended by four years. Maintenance of Kiran Mk II has become a major issue because no support for its Opheus engine was available.

“IJT is a delayed project, I admit… We have faced major delays in getting the new Russian engines for IJT. These issues have been sorted out…Now, the aircraft’s development is in “advanced stages of certification with more than 800 test flights completed so far,” HAL Chairman R.K. Tyagi told Aviation Week recently.

Indian fighter pilots are trained in three stages: first on a basic trainer aircraft, then on an IJT and finally on an advanced jet trainer.

While the IAF does its basic training in the 26 Pilatus PC-7 Mk. 2s, out of a total order for 75 aircraft; the advanced jet trainer role is filled by BAE Systems Hawk 132s, which HAL is making under licenced production in India.

HAL also is trying to develop its own HTT-40 turboprop for the basic trainer role.

As per estimates, with 240 new trainee pilots joining the service every year, IAF requires 181 basic trainers, 85 IJTs and 106 advanced jet trainers. India has already inducted the bulk of the 123 Hawks ordered for its air force and naval pilots in an overall project worth around 160 billion rupees ($2.8 billion).

The IAF has signed two contracts with HAL for delivery of 12 limited-series-production IJT aircraft and 73 series-production IJT aircraft. HAL has confirmed the delivery of aircraft in a phased manner after initial operational clearance is granted. HAL was approved to receive 1.80 billion rupees in July 1999 to develop the aircraft and build two flying prototypes.

India Looking Abroad For Intermediate Jet Trainers | idrw.org