sudhir007
SENIOR MEMBER
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- Jul 6, 2009
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Killing combat air trainer (CAT) Project was a mistake IDRW.ORG
Back in 2004 when The State-run aviation major, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) had plans to design and develop a combat trainer jet for the Indian Air Force (IAF).proposed twin-engine jet trainer with enhanced capability ,large wings and fuselage and a hi-tech cockpit for enhanced training capability was rejected by Indian air force and Mod which had made plans to re-order more 66 British-made Hawk advanced jet trainers (AJT), which IAF is in process of been acquired . after five years now the Indian Ministry of Defence put out requests for information (RFI) for advanced jet trainers to meet a requirement of 57 new trainer aircraft, of which the Indian Air Force needs 40 and the Indian Navy, 17, Proposal which has been send to six makers of AJT around the world including BAE . HAL had even submitted a proposal regarding this to Mod and IAF and had promised first prototype in 39 months once go head was given by Government , now after one crash of newly acquired Hawks and pathetic supply of spares by British Aerospace most of the jet are fast becoming Hangar queens in Bidar in karnataka , where they are currently based for Training Young pilots for Indian air force . Lack of aircrafts have effected the pilot training , if the go head was given for Combat air trainer (CAT) Project way back in 2006 we could had some prototypes ready and using the same Saturn AL-55I engine with about 16.9 kN of thrust which currently powers HJT-36 Sitara which will replace the HJT-16 Kiran in its role as a trainer (Stage-2) in the Indian Air Force. CAT would have been positioned between the intermediate jet trainer (IJT) and light combat aircraft (LCA) and could have been way better than imported Hawks ,using similar avionics developed for LCA and IJT-36 could have kept the Development cost of the jet also low and could have been developed as a secondary ground attack aircraft for Indian air force .
Back in 2004 when The State-run aviation major, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) had plans to design and develop a combat trainer jet for the Indian Air Force (IAF).proposed twin-engine jet trainer with enhanced capability ,large wings and fuselage and a hi-tech cockpit for enhanced training capability was rejected by Indian air force and Mod which had made plans to re-order more 66 British-made Hawk advanced jet trainers (AJT), which IAF is in process of been acquired . after five years now the Indian Ministry of Defence put out requests for information (RFI) for advanced jet trainers to meet a requirement of 57 new trainer aircraft, of which the Indian Air Force needs 40 and the Indian Navy, 17, Proposal which has been send to six makers of AJT around the world including BAE . HAL had even submitted a proposal regarding this to Mod and IAF and had promised first prototype in 39 months once go head was given by Government , now after one crash of newly acquired Hawks and pathetic supply of spares by British Aerospace most of the jet are fast becoming Hangar queens in Bidar in karnataka , where they are currently based for Training Young pilots for Indian air force . Lack of aircrafts have effected the pilot training , if the go head was given for Combat air trainer (CAT) Project way back in 2006 we could had some prototypes ready and using the same Saturn AL-55I engine with about 16.9 kN of thrust which currently powers HJT-36 Sitara which will replace the HJT-16 Kiran in its role as a trainer (Stage-2) in the Indian Air Force. CAT would have been positioned between the intermediate jet trainer (IJT) and light combat aircraft (LCA) and could have been way better than imported Hawks ,using similar avionics developed for LCA and IJT-36 could have kept the Development cost of the jet also low and could have been developed as a secondary ground attack aircraft for Indian air force .