India's first indigenous trainer aircraft HTT-40 ready for induction

India has developed its first indigenous basic trainer aircraft, the HTT-40, marking a significant step towards self-reliance in military aviation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hand over the aircraft to the Indian Air Force in Bengaluru on Friday. HAL has received a contract to manufacture 70 HTT-40 aircraft for the IAF, with the first batch of four to be delivered on Friday.

The HTT-40 will be used for basic fighter pilot training and is capable of day and night operations. It features a maximum altitude of 6,000 metres, a top speed of 300 knots, and an endurance of approximately three hours. The aircraft also supports close formation flying and aerobatics training. Previously, Indian fighter pilots trained on foreign aircraft including the Hawk.

Alongside the HTT-40 handover, HAL will also deliver two trainer variants of the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft to the Air Force on Friday.