Indian MoD twists the knife over HAL's IJT failures

Rahul Bedi, Delhi - IHS JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY
05 August 2014

The Indian Ministry of DEFENCE (MoD) has dealt a severe blow to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL's) futile efforts over the past 14 years to design an Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT).

"HAL, which has been developing the IJT, has not so far been able to resolve critical wing and airframe design and development [D&D] issues related to its stall and spin [characteristics]," Defence Minister Arun Jaitley told parliament on 5 August.

"In order to meet the emergent situation created due to inordinate delays in the IJT … the Indian Air Force [IAF] has initiated action to look for alternate options," he added, essentially signalling an eventual termination of the unsuccessful and expensive IJT programme, which was initiated in 2000.

IHS Janes