HJT-36 Intermediate Jet Trainer
The HJT-36 Intermediate Jet Trainer project is expected to replace the IAF's aging Kiran aircraft. HAL's main focus is presently on the single engine HJT-36, which will replace the 200-odd HJT-16s as the intermediate jet trainer.
The HJT-36 Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), is being developed for training of pilots. IJT will replace the ageing Kiran trainers. HJT-36 is an indigenous product developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Bangalore. It is a sub-sonic aircraft with a fuel-efficient engine, advanced avionics systems and increased weapon load. This will help to improve the pilots' training effectiveness and lead to easier transition to the advanced training for modern fighter aircraft.
As of June 2002 India's HJT-36 intermediate jet trainer project was running behind the schedule. As of mid-2003 initial operational clearance of IJT was expected by 2005-06 and deliveries to Indian Air Force are expected to start from the same year onwards. As of 2003, around 150 aircraft were expected to be procured by the Indian Air Force to replace the ageing Kiran trainers, which had been in use with the IAF for nearly 30 years.
The project was sanctioned in July 1999 with a grant of Rs 180 crore. The powerplant will be the Snecma Larzac 04-30 turbofan engine and the semi-glass cockpit will have French/British avionics with the pilot seated on a Zwezda K36CT ejection seat. Assembly of aircraft and integration of all systems is expected to be complete in 20 months. The rollout is planned for August 2002 and first flight in October. The PT2 will follow in six months and flight testing will total 4,500 hours leading to series production in 2004-05. The plan was to build 225 HJT36s.
HAL had pegged the overall project cost at Rs.200 crores and expected the prototype to roll out 39 months after it gets the go-ahead. The plane was to enter service two years thereafter. HAL engineers said that the project cost had been capped at Rs.18 crores.
HAL was looking for "off-the-shelf" equipment in order to save time and money. About 200 vendors have so far been identified. In June 2001 Smiths Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed a contract for the design and development of the Integrated Avionics System for the HJT-36 Intermediate Jet Trainer. The system consists of an open systems architecture mission computer, head up display, HUD repeater, rear data entry panel, attitude and heading reference system and air data computers.
The IJT made it's maiden flight in March 2003. The prototypes were initially fitted with the the French company Snecma's Larzac 04-30 turbofan engine. However, in 2005, Russia and India signed a pact to transfer technology to HAL to develop the AL-55I engine for the IJT. As per the agreement, India was issued a licence by NPO Saturn, a Russian aerospace firm, for making the AL-55I engines at its Koraphut complex in Orissa. The AL-55I will propel the subsequently produced IJTs. HAL estimated a demand for about 200 IJTs from the Indian Air Force (IAF) for training its fighter pilots.
The estimated cost of the development is Rs. 1.85 billion. Around 1,000 engines are expected to be produced by HAL since it is estimated that each IJT needs four engines during its lifetime of 20,000-25,000 flying hours. The AL-55I engine will have a power thrust of 1.7 tonnes, higher than the 1.4 tonnes of the French engine fitted in two IJT prototypes initially underwent development test flights.
As of 2005, the IAF had placed an order for 16 IJTs. It was estimated that HAL will produce about 20 trainers per year.
