The Indian defence production industry had wasted billions of rupees of the Indian taxpayer on failed projects nearly every year, which continued for decades without any success.
In January 2022, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has announced that the Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) also known as the HJT-36 Sitara carried out six turn spins to the right as well as left. After decades of modifications in its airframe, the HJT-36 was finally able to move the tailfin and tailplane further down to make its machine operational.
Due to several failures of this project the Indian Ministry of Defence was forced to consider for its closure and later on purchasedBAE Systems Hawkin 2015 to overcome acute shortage of jet trainers. In fact Indian Air Force’s much needed substitute of aging HAL HJT-16 Kiran which served Indian Air Force for the last fifty two year, was thus provided.
The Indian Air Force severely lacking advancement in its jet training programmes has caused numerous accidents and mishaps, meanwhile the Pakistan Air Force has always successfully upgraded and is continuing to upgrade its fleet for the future requirements and is designing training jets as a second defence line as well.
The Indian Air Force is one of few air forces in the world where pilots have completed only 180 to 250 flying hours annually, whereas internationally the average requirement or standard is of 700 to 800 flying hours. Apart from many other reasons, this is also a main reason behind many air crashes of IAF jet fighters in which it had lost hundreds of fighter jets and pilots. The IAF is number one in the world, in terms of air crashes.
The IAF pilots were totally dissatisfied with HJT-16 Kiran jet trainers due to continuous accidents of this very ramshackle technology, which was first introduced in 1968 and only 190 jet trainers were built. The production line of Kiran jet was ended in 1989 and since then no upgradation programmes have been launched. The IAF retired 120 Kiran Jets and only 70 remain in service and they mostly are in a non-operational condition.
The HJT-36 project which started in 1997 produced a first and then a second prototype, labelled PT-1 and PT-2, which flew on 7 March 2003 and in March 2004 respectively. Since then, the programme had experienced a series of delays.
The prototype, which was powered by a SNECMA Larzac 04-H-20 non-afterburning turbofan producing 4.12 kN of thrust, was assessed to be “underpowered” by the IAF. Subsequently, the HAL sought to replace the French SNECMA engines with the Russian NPO-Saturn AL-55I engines.
After a serious impediment, the first AL-55I engine was received from Russia on 28 December 2008, 2 years later than committed. The programme took a backseat again due to two incidents in February 2007 and in February 2009, involving each of the prototypes, which grounded the aircraft for repairs and investigations. It entered into a limited series production by 2010 but according to IAF officials it remained “unfit” for service due to technological issues. By 2014, the Indian MOD submitted a statement that the development of IJT was in the advanced stages of certification, with the completion of more than 800 test flights so far, but on ground the story was poles apart. By 2017 many International defense analysts and experts suggested that HAL had failed to resolve core issues of this aircraft and Indian MOD would soon close this project.
The modified aircraft flew for the first time in April 2019 with the help of a US-based company as a consultant; the airframe was modified to move the tailfin and tailplane further down so an easier spin recovery was expected. On January 6, the IJT successfully demonstrated the capability to carry out six turn spins to both the left and right hand sides but the plane is not ready to serve as yet. This aircraft requires final tests for series production and induction into their own air force.
On other hand Pakistan Air Force is using T-37 jet trainers since 1962, and they were upgraded from time to time. USAF was also using T-37s till 2009 and a total 1269 were built. The PAF inducted 63 jet trainers initially and 20 more were inducted in 2008. Turkey, on 28 October 2015, gave PAF 34 T-37Cs, including spares in an agreement between Turkey and Pakistan. Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) successfully overhauled and maintained these aircraft.
The JL-8 trainer project was initiated by China around 1986, and later became a joint effort with Pakistan in 1987. The name was changed on the suggestion of Pakistan’s then President Zia ulHaq to Karakoram-8 to represent the friendship between the two countries. The first prototype was built in 1989, with its first flight taking place on 21 November 1990. Flight testing continued from 1991 to 1993 by a Flight Test Team consisting of four Chinese and two Pakistani pilots. The design finalization was in December 1992. Thousands of on-land tests and flying tests revealed its combined properties that were better than the other jet trainers all around the globe.
Later four prototypes were built and production of a small batch of 24 aircraft was launched in 1992. The Chinese share out of these was 18, while the PAF received six K-8s in 1994. The export-variant K-8 Karakorum Basic Common Advanced Jet Trainer is co-produced by China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) for export markets other than Pakistan, while later aircraft for Pakistan have been built by the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF), Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.
Karakorum-8 or K-8 (Hongdu JL-8 /Nanchang JL-8), is an export success in the world market and more than 16 countries, including Pakistan and China, are using more than 600 aircraft all around the world. The latest Pakistani export variant is the K-8P version, which is currently operated by the PAF. The K-8P has an advanced avionics package of integrated head-up display (HUD), multi-function displays (MFDs) and comes equipped with MFD-integrated GPS and ILS/TACAN systems. It also features hard points for carrying a variety of training and operational bombs up to 250 kg, pod mounted 23 mm cannon as well as PL-5/7/AIM-9 P launchers. In September 2011, NAMC rolled out another 12 K-8P for an undisclosed foreign client. Pakistan air force is evaluating even more advanced Chinese trainer jets JL-9 and JL-10 for future upgrades and requirements after retirement of T-37s which is expected in 2030.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) HJT-36 Sitara still takes three to four more years to enter into active service if these trials are successful.
The Indian Air Force severely lacking advancement in its jet training programmes has caused numerous accidents and mishaps, meanwhile the Pakistan Air Force has always successfully upgraded and is continuing to upgrade its fleet for the future requirements and is designing training jets as a second defence line as well.
