• The defence ministry sealed a deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to procure 70 HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft at a cost of over Rs 6,800 crore for the Indian Air Force.

• The ministry also finalised a contract with the Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) for acquisition of three cadet training ships worth over Rs 3,100 crore.

• Both the procurement proposals were cleared by the prime minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on March 1.

HTT-40 Trainer Aircraft

• The HAL will provide 70 HTT-40 (Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40) aircraft over a period of six years.

• The HTT-40 is a turbo prop aircraft possessing good low speed handling qualities and provides better training effectiveness. This fully aerobatic tandem seat turbo trainer has an air-conditioned cockpit, modern avionics, hot re-fueling, running change over and zero-zero ejection seats.

• The aircraft will meet the shortage of basic trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force for training of newly-inducted pilots. The procurement will include associated equipment and training aids including simulators.

• The HTT-40 contains approximately 56 per cent indigenous content which will progressively increase to over 60 per cent through indigenisation of major components and sub-systems.

• Being an indigenous solution, the aircraft is configurable for upgrades to incorporate the futuristic requirements of the Indian Armed Forces.

• The HAL would engage the domestic private industry, including MSMEs, in its supply chain. 

• The procurement has the potential to provide direct and indirect employment to thousands of people spread over more than 100 MSMEs.

Cadet Training Ships

• The ships will cater to the training of officer cadets, including women, at sea after their basic training to meet the future requirements of the Indian Navy. 

• The ships would also provide training to cadets from friendly countries with the aim to strengthen diplomatic relations.

• The ships can also be deployed for evacuation of people from distress areas, Search and Rescue and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. The delivery of ships is scheduled to commence from 2026.

• The ships will be indigenously designed, developed and constructed at L&T shipyard in Kattupalli, Chennai.

• The project will generate an employment of 22.5 lakh man-days over a period of four-and-half years. This will encourage active participation of Indian shipbuilding and associated industries, including MSMEs.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store