In Tejas’ shadow, Sitara trainer also poised to enter service

[Water Car Engineer]

Defence Minister AK Antony is flying down to Bengaluru to award the Tejas its initial operational certificate (IOC) on Friday. The Sitara’s success in intensive flight-testing this year means that he could soon be making another trip to award an identical certification to the Sitara.

“We have accelerated flight testing dramatically this year, doing 183 sorties --- thrice as many as any preceding year. Last month we completed bombing trials and extra fuel tank trials in Jamnagar. Now we are completing the stall and spin tests, after which we will get the IOC,” says Krishna Kumar, Project Manager IJT for HAL.

In March 2010, the IAF also ordered 73 Sitara trainers for Rs 6,180 crore. These would be based at the IAF flying school coming up in Deesa, in Gujarat; and in Tambaram, where the IAF trains flying instructors.

All that is history, say HAL project managers, as the Sitara is poised to enter service. It flies up to 700 kilometres per hour and up to 9,000 metres high. It can sustain gravitational forces from minus 2.5G to plus 7G (seven times the force of gravity). It has a range of 1000 kilometres, extendable to 1,500 kilometres with external drop tanks.

Broadsword: In Tejas’ shadow, Sitara trainer also poised to enter service

 

[he-man]

i still don't believe.

 

[egodoc222]

wow! is it true???

i thought they gonna scrap this project!!!

 

[he-man]

wow! is it true???

i thought they gonna scrap this project!!!

who knows whats the real status.
they keep on saying such stuff every 6 months but nothing gets done eventually.