‘Moving towards aatmanirbharta’: Rajnath Singh as HAL delivers Tejas, Dhruv NG — All about these indigenous aircraft | Today’s news
State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Friday handed over a new fleet of advanced indigenous aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Pawan Hans Limited, marking a significant boost to India’s domestic aerospace industry.
The handover ceremony was attended by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu.
During the HAL event, the IAF delivered two LCA FOC Trainer aircraft (completion of two-seat deliveries under the FOC contract), three HTT-40 Basic Trainer aircraft, marking the commencement of deliveries under the 70-aircraft contract, and four Dhruv Next Generation (NG) helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited.
The handover, the Union ministers said, marked an important milestone in the country’s journey towards self-sufficiency and highlighted the role of HAL and its industrial partners in strengthening the domestic aerospace ecosystem.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said, “India has been systematically moving towards Aatmanirbharta in defence, as the country has been manufacturing state-of-the-art equipment indigenously ever since the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government started working with the core mantra of self-reliance.”
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Strive for a native aviation ecosystem
Together, the platforms represent HAL’s capabilities across military aviation, civil rotary-wing aviation and pilot training, the statement said.
HAL CMD Ravi K said the handover of Tejas FOC two-seat trainers, HTT 40 basic trainers and Dhruv NG helicopters demonstrates HAL’s capability to develop and deliver platforms for various civil and defense requirements.
These platforms reflect the depth of capabilities that HAL has built over the years and the strength of the indigenous aerospace ecosystem that supports them, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Civil Aviation Minister Naidu said that the certification and commissioning of Dhruv NG marked an important milestone for India’s indigenous civil aviation ecosystem.
He called it a reflection of Indian industry’s growing ability to develop and support advanced aerospace platforms for commercial applications. Naidu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a clear vision to Indians to travel in Made-in-India civil aircraft.
“Very soon, Indians will be traveling in Made-in-India civil aircraft,” the minister quoted Modi as saying.
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Here’s everything we know about these indigenous aircraft:
Two-seater trainer LCA Tejas FOC
According to a statement shared by HAL, the LCA Tejas FOC Twin-Seater Trainer is a light, all-weather, 4.5 generation multi-role aircraft designed primarily to support the training requirements of the IAF, while retaining the capability to conduct fighter operations when required.
It incorporates advanced technologies, including relaxed static stability, a quadruplex fly-by-wire flight control system, worry-free maneuvering, an advanced glass cockpit, integrated digital avionics and advanced airframe composite materials.
“These technologies have enabled India to develop and field an advanced two-seater fighter aircraft,” he said.
HTT-40 ‘Ankur’ Basic Trainer
The HTT-40 (Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40) is an original designed and developed basic trainer aircraft designed to meet the primary training requirements of the Indian Defense Services.
Designed by HAL’s Aeronautical Research and Design Center (ARDC), the aircraft is based on a proven turboprop engine and is designed to provide good handling at low speeds and effective training for trainee pilots.
The HTT-40 features a modern cockpit and avionics suite and is capable of performing a range of basic training and flight roles, aerobatics, general handling, instrument flying, navigation, night flying and close formation flying, he added.
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Dhruv (NG) new generation helicopter.
The Dhruv Next Generation is a 5.5-tonne light twin-engine multi-role helicopter designed and manufactured by HAL, officials said.
The Dhruv NG platform has been developed for the demanding operating conditions in India and has been upgraded to meet the requirements of the global civil aviation market.
Its features include a civilian certified glass cockpit, a modern avionics suite, advanced navigation systems and enhanced situational awareness. Safety features include crash-resistant seats, self-sealing fuel tanks and a dual-engine configuration that ensures redundancy.
