HAL Tejas Mk1A: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, also called HAL, made another big step for India’s defence sector. The first flight of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A built at HAL’s third production line took place on October 17 in Nashik. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was present to see this special moment. On the same day, he also opened the third production line of the LCA Mk1A and the second production line of the Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40, known as HTT-40.
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The LCA Tejas Mk1A uses the F404–IN20 engine made by GE Aerospace. HAL started the new production line to speed up the delivery of Tejas aircraft to the Indian Air Force. The Nashik facility can make eight aircraft every year. When all three production lines work together, HAL will be able to build 24 Tejas Mk1A aircraft in one year. This new line has created nearly 1,000 new jobs and helped more than 40 local industry partners in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, reported The Hindu.
HAL said the new line will also help in exporting the aircraft to friendly countries. The company plans to increase production in Nashik to 10 aircraft per year within the next two years. They will set up more tools, new assembly systems, and better checking units to reach this target.
HTT-40 Trainer
The HTT-40 trainer aircraft is another proud project of HAL. The company designed and built it using its own funds to meet the Indian Air Force’s training needs. The first prototype of the HTT-40 flew in May 2016, and the second one followed in May 2017.
The HTT-40 is fully made in India and is a big part of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ idea. It is creating a lot of new jobs and giving a boost to small industries. HAL said that the programme will give around 1,500 direct jobs in the company and nearly 3,000 indirect jobs in more than 100 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that supply parts.
The Indian Air Force also has an option to buy 36 more HTT-40 aircraft in the future. HAL said, “As a cost-effective, indigenous trainer, the HTT-40 has potential for export to other countries, particularly nations with similar training needs.”
To celebrate the event, a fly past by the Su-30 MKI fighter jet and a special formation flight by the HTT-40 aircraft took place in Nashik.
