The Lost Decade of 1970 Hf-73

[Shreyas Karambelkar]

In 1973 there was an offer from Germany to jointly develop the HF 24 into the Hindustan Supersonic Strike Aircraft labelled the HSS 73 later to be known as the HF-73. This would retain the original mainframe, with radical changes to the fuselage, air intakes and the centre wing section. The cockpit was to be modified for better visibility, fuel capacity increased, and with a completely new avionics suite and powered by the Rolls Royce RB 199-34R engine would have a radius of action double that of the HF 24. “Eventually, this project had to be abandoned because, as some said, of non clearance of the RB 199 by the UK and Germany, the two partner governments involved in the engine development for the Tornado MRCA programme. Thus all efforts in developing an Indian combat aircraft had come to naught.”

 

[Keysersoze]

In 1973 there was an offer from Germany to jointly develop the HF 24 into the Hindustan Supersonic Strike Aircraft labelled the HSS 73 later to be known as the HF-73. This would retain the original mainframe, with radical changes to the fuselage, air intakes and the centre wing section. The cockpit was to be modified for better visibility, fuel capacity increased, and with a completely new avionics suite and powered by the Rolls Royce RB 199-34R engine would have a radius of action double that of the HF 24. “Eventually, this project had to be abandoned because, as some said, of non clearance of the RB 199 by the UK and Germany, the two partner governments involved in the engine development for the Tornado MRCA programme. Thus all efforts in developing an Indian combat aircraft had come to naught.”

Don't think those images are accurate. I believe @Deino knows a fair bit about this.

 

[Shreyas Karambelkar]

Don't think those images are accurate. I believe @Deino knows a fair bit about this.

They're.Infact there were many designs HAL proposed during 70 and 80s including HAL Ground attack fighter(GAF)

 

[Deino]

Don't think those images are accurate. I believe @Deino knows a fair bit about this.

Thanks for that hint and indeed I have some info ... but we are just on our way back home from the holydays, so I can only reply later.

And you are correct, the first image shows a representation of the Hf-72 from a FlugRevue report (in German), which was at best a conceptual drawing. Quite interesting, the same file shows a modelling what-if composed from a Tornado ADV, mated with a F/A-18 Hornet ... the real - or at least one of the many studies - looked indeed a bit different.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

Don't think those images are accurate. I believe @Deino knows a fair bit about this.

Many designs were there, all rejected.

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/fighter-jet-proposals-after-hal-marut-before-hal-tejas.293471/

 

[TruthSeeker]

OK!