New Delhi: The Defence Ministry Tuesday cleared the purchase of 106 basic trainer aircraft — HTT-40 — from state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) after the Indian Air Force strongly backed the indigenous project and scrapped plans to buy any more of the scam-tainted trainer aircraft from Swiss firm Pilatus.
The HAL acquisition was among projects worth Rs 8,722.38 crore cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Tuesday. These included “approvals that are likely to speed up the procurement of AK-203 (rifles) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle upgrades”, which will involve arming the Israeli systems currently used by India.
“With Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) having successfully developed Basic Trainer Aircraft (HTT-40) prototypes and certification process underway, the DAC approved procurement of 106 basic trainer aircraft from HAL to address the basic training requirements of the Indian Air Force (IAF),” the ministry said in a statement.
Once they are certified, 70 Basic Trainer Aircraft will initially be procured from HAL, the ministry added. The remaining 36 will be procured after the HTT-40 fleet in the IAF is operationalised.
Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Bhadauria had, in October last year, made it clear that the IAF will go in for HTT-40, adding that the order for 38 more Pilatus had been cancelled.
In January 2016, the DAC had approved the procurement of 38 PC-7 Mk-II trainers from the Swiss company as the IAF claimed they were in dire need of the trainers and the HTT-40 was not yet ready.
The Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) had last year flagged the Rs 2,895.63 crore contract for 75 Pilatus PC-7 Mk-I basic trainer aircraft, signed in 2012, citing incorrect price calculations that allegedly worked in the firm’s favour.
Alleged arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, who is said to have had close links with Congress leaders as well as businessman Robert Vadra, former party chief Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law, was an agent of the Swiss firm.
The Pilatus deal had been under the CBI’s scanner since it was flagged by the defence ministry during the tenure of the late Manohar Parrikar, from 2014-2017.
Also Read: HAL needs new orders to prevent complete halt of production after 2021-22
UAVs to be upgraded
The HTT-40 qualifies as “Indian designed, developed and manufactured (IDDM)” equipment, a category introduced in the Defence Procurement Policy 2016. The aircraft, which has been in the works for the last seven years, has cleared all Air Staff Qualitative Requirements (ASQRs).
In November last year, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria had taken a full one-hour sortie in the HTT-40 as a mark of confidence in the aircraft.
The other approvals issued Tuesday include those that are likely to speed up the procurement of AK-203 assault rifles, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) upgrades.
The mega-deal for the AK-203, under the Make in India initiative, was finally inked last year. This will be a much-awaited order for the armed forces, which have been struggling to replace their INSAS rifles for over two decades.
When the deal was first announced in 2018, there was a lot of excitement. However, the deal continues to be a work in progress. The delay has forced the Army to order SiG-716 rifles from the US under a fast-tracked process to arm its frontline troops.
With 72,000 SiG rifles already delivered, the Army is now pursuing emergency procurement of another 72,000.
The Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited, a partnership between the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), the Kalashnikov Concern, and Rosoboronexport (the Russian state agency for military exports), have failed to arrive at an offer price for the AK-203 rifle.
It was expected that the price of each rifle would be around $1,100 (approx. Rs 82,000), but it has risen due to a number of issues. The defence ministry has constituted a committee to break this logjam.
Another important project that has been given clearance is the deal for upgrading the UAVs in India’s inventory. According to the plan, the Israeli Heron UAVs are supposed to be upgraded with laser-guided bombs, precision-guided munitions, and anti-tank missiles.
The forces are also proposing to equip the drones with better surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. This is part of a project that has got a sudden push due to the ongoing tensions at the Line of Actual Control.
Also read: CAG report pokes holes in UPA-era deal for Pilatus trainer aircraft for IAF
Like all PSUs HAL is civilian controlled, and manned and totally corrupt and inefficient organisation guzzling tax payer’s money. It should be closed yesterday
Good decision by IAF for making indegeious trainer aircraft.
It’s a good decision by the IAF for going for indegeious trainer aircraft. But to have heroic and brave pilots IAF should have pilots like 1971 war hero flying officer K.P Muralidharan MIA persumed to be logging in Pak jail’s as per govt of India official list given to Pakistan where 55 missing Indian POWs are there. IAF bileatedly and repeatedly pinched Maha Vir Chakra to flying officer K.P Muralidharan MIA but this govt endorses TIME BAR FOR BRAVERY. What a absurd and nonsense and whole Indians felt ashamed and put their head down. Even the Pakistan govt and their media had eloquently praised this air warrior. But this govt washes their hand and says sorry Time over .What stupidity. The senior official s every instance say. that there is shortage of officers. They don’t get very young youth to join the forces .When a young pilot sacrificed his life for this country the govt and IAF is not ready to honour.IAF had admitted he had saved his commander SQN.LDR K.N Bajpai in the. dogged air battle and also he had destroyed vital military installations in his three run over the air base. He was finally shot down by the enemy pilot Wing Comdr Salim Mirza Baig over the Peshawar air base after a long air battle. Chief. Of Defence post is created and I don’t know what Gen Bipin Rawat and Integrated vice chief Vice Admiral Hari Kumar have to say in this case.Hope they will immediately take quick action so that this soldier get his dues with out further delay. jai Hind.
HTT 40 is far more expensive than the imported Pilatus trainers….
It’s better the govt transfer the programme to a private company for mfg and also for export, it can reduce cost and better delivery schedule….
HAL can ask for reasonable royalties…