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NEW DELHI: The government is finally set to clear the long delayed Rs 2,900 crore deal for acquisition of 75 Swiss Pilatus basic trainer aircraft (BTA) to initiate rookie pilots into the inherently-dangerous art of combat flying.
IAF has been forced to use virtually obsolete planes for years to train its new pilots because of huge delays in its acquisition plans for 181 BTA, 85 IJTs (intermediate jet trainers) and 106 AJTs (advanced jet trainers).
This when over 39% of the 1,010 or so crashes recorded by IAF since 1970 have been attributed to "human error (aircrew)'', which is often a deadly result of inadequate training.
"Technical defects'' in ageing machines like the Russian-origin MiG fleets, coupled with shoddy maintenance, is the other big killer. Defence minister A K Antony last week admitted in Parliament that 482 MiGs had crashed since 1971-72, killing 171 pilots and 48 others.
Pilatus PC-7 Mark-II had emerged the cheapest among other contenders like American Hawker-Beechcraft's T-6C Texan-II and Korean Aerospace's KT-1 after technical and commercial evaluation. But the contract has been hanging fire due to allegations of irregularities, as was reported by TOI last year.
But with Korean Aerospace's representation being found "devoid of merit'', as Antony told Rajya Sabha on May 2, the deal is likely to get the green signal from the Cabinet Committee on Security this week, officials said.
Delivery of the Pilatus turbo trainers will begin 15 months after the contract is inked, with 24 aircraft being delivered within 25 months to ensure basic training on them can kick off soon.
This is critical since the 114 ageing piston-engine HPT-32 aircraft, which long served as the BTA for new pilots, have been grounded since August 2009 after one of them crashed killing the pilot. Since then, the even older Kiran aircraft are being used for Stage-I and Stage-II (fighter) training.
IAF is also slated to get another 106 BTA designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) from 2016 onwards. But HAL is already way behind schedule to begin delivering 85 IJTs to replace the Kirans from June 2012 onwards as promised.
India took two decades to ink the first contract for British Hawk AJTs. After first ordering 66 twin-seat Hawks in March 2004 and then another 57 in July 2010, at a combined overall project cost running into Rs 16,000 crore, India has now ordered another 20 AJTs.
While the first 123 Hawks will train new IAF and Navy pilots in advanced combat flying, the last 20 are meant for the famous Surya Kiran aerobatics team. At present, IAF has inducted over 60 Hawks. The overall AJT project, with 24 supplied directly by BAE Systems and 122 to be licensed manufactured by HAL in India, will cost well over Rs 20,000 crore by the time it's completed in 2016-2017.
Govt set to clear Rs 2,900 crore deal for trainer jets - The Times of India
IAF has been forced to use virtually obsolete planes for years to train its new pilots because of huge delays in its acquisition plans for 181 BTA, 85 IJTs (intermediate jet trainers) and 106 AJTs (advanced jet trainers).
This when over 39% of the 1,010 or so crashes recorded by IAF since 1970 have been attributed to "human error (aircrew)'', which is often a deadly result of inadequate training.
"Technical defects'' in ageing machines like the Russian-origin MiG fleets, coupled with shoddy maintenance, is the other big killer. Defence minister A K Antony last week admitted in Parliament that 482 MiGs had crashed since 1971-72, killing 171 pilots and 48 others.
Pilatus PC-7 Mark-II had emerged the cheapest among other contenders like American Hawker-Beechcraft's T-6C Texan-II and Korean Aerospace's KT-1 after technical and commercial evaluation. But the contract has been hanging fire due to allegations of irregularities, as was reported by TOI last year.
But with Korean Aerospace's representation being found "devoid of merit'', as Antony told Rajya Sabha on May 2, the deal is likely to get the green signal from the Cabinet Committee on Security this week, officials said.
Delivery of the Pilatus turbo trainers will begin 15 months after the contract is inked, with 24 aircraft being delivered within 25 months to ensure basic training on them can kick off soon.
This is critical since the 114 ageing piston-engine HPT-32 aircraft, which long served as the BTA for new pilots, have been grounded since August 2009 after one of them crashed killing the pilot. Since then, the even older Kiran aircraft are being used for Stage-I and Stage-II (fighter) training.
IAF is also slated to get another 106 BTA designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) from 2016 onwards. But HAL is already way behind schedule to begin delivering 85 IJTs to replace the Kirans from June 2012 onwards as promised.
India took two decades to ink the first contract for British Hawk AJTs. After first ordering 66 twin-seat Hawks in March 2004 and then another 57 in July 2010, at a combined overall project cost running into Rs 16,000 crore, India has now ordered another 20 AJTs.
While the first 123 Hawks will train new IAF and Navy pilots in advanced combat flying, the last 20 are meant for the famous Surya Kiran aerobatics team. At present, IAF has inducted over 60 Hawks. The overall AJT project, with 24 supplied directly by BAE Systems and 122 to be licensed manufactured by HAL in India, will cost well over Rs 20,000 crore by the time it's completed in 2016-2017.
Govt set to clear Rs 2,900 crore deal for trainer jets - The Times of India
