Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has rebooted its long-troubled HJT-36 intermediate jet trainer (IJT).
The company has used the Aero India show in Bengaluru to rebrand the jet as ‘Yashas’ from ‘Sitara’ and is showing the aircraft in the show’s static park.
India’s defence ministry sanctioned the development of an IJT in July 1999, with a targeted completion date of July 2004. The lengthy development programme stalled in 2016 over the type’s unsatisfactory spin characteristics.
HAL says it has made extensive modifications to the aircraft to ‘resolve departure characteristics and spin resistance throughout the aircraft envelope’.
The Indian air force has asked to lease four HJT-36 ‘Yashas’ jets, likely to evaluate the type’s suitability for future training needs.
These aircraft will be modified to the new standard from a batch of 12 existing limited series production aircraft, built earlier as part of an air force order placed in 2006. The air force went on to order 73 series production aircraft in 2010, but these were never delivered.
DK Sunil, HAL’s chairman and managing director, says the updated Yashas has undergone major changes, increasing its relevance for training.
In addition to being a Stage II jet trainer, the Yashas will have a light-attack capability, with a weapons payload of 1,000kg (2,200lb).
The aircraft has a new cockpit and avionics, which has reduced the aircraft’s weight and seen indigenous equipment take the place of foreign-made line replaceable units.
The aircraft is powered by a single United Engine Corporation AL-55I jet engine.
