HAL HJT-36 Sitara

[JBH22]

India's Intermediate Jet Trainer [IJT] HJT-36, Sitara

 

[Tshering22]

^^ I really hope that it comes next year.

 

[nitesh]

^^ Thanks for the info man. Really appreciate it. But hopefully the induction to start this year because there's simply no need for going as deep as a second-stage FOC for this. They already tested limited weapons that it can carry (total 5 hardpoints), the flight tests had some issues and now solved. SO there's absolutely no reason to make it another Tejas issue.

Great info, was not aware of it. Can you share the details of weapons tested with it? Thx in advance

 

[Payeng]

Lets collect information about this program.............

The Sitara is a stage-2 conventional jet trainer with low swept wings design planned for induction in Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. It is planned for the succesor of HJT-16 Kiran which is currently being operated by by the Indian Air Force and the Naval air wing.

HAL started design working on it in 1997. In 1999, following reviews by the Indian Air Force, the Government of India awarded HAL a contract for development, testing and certification of two prototype IJT aircraft.

The first and second prototypes of the HJT-36, labeled PT-1 and PT-2, flew on 7 March 2003 and in March 2004, respectively. The program was then delayed with the Air Force assessing the SNECMA Turbomeca Larzac engine, with 14.1 kN of thrust, as under-powered. In response, in August 2005, HAL reached a deal to replace the SNECMA engine with the NPO Saturn AL-55I with 16.9 kN of thrust. The deal also provided for license-production of the engine in India by HAL.

Following ground taxiing trials with AL-55I engine, the flight tests with the new engine started on 9 May 2009.

Incidents:
PT-1 has suffered some serious damage when the canopy flew open during Feburary 2007 Aero India Show at Yalahanka Air base in Bangalore the aircraft veer to the side of the runway. the incident damaged the starboard wing, the test pilot escaped unharmed, the aircraft was repaired and returned to service later.

On 4 February 2009, PT-2 landed on its belly after a routine aerobatic sortie. There was structural damage to the undercarriage and one of the wing tips. Pilot error was the cause of the incident.

On 28 April 2011, a prototype Sitara crashed in Tamil nadu. Both crew ejected safely.

 

[Payeng]

 

[Payeng]

 

[Payeng]

 

[Payeng]

Specifications

General characteristics
Crew: 2, student and instructor
Length: 10.91m (36 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 10.00 m (32 ft 10 in)
Height: 4.13m (14 ft 5 in)
Max takeoff weight: 4,600 kg (10,000 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × NPO Saturn AL-55I non-afterburning turbofan, 16.9kN (4,500 lbf)
Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 0.80 /1,000 kilometres per hour/620 mph
Range: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,000 metres (30,000 ft)
Endurance: 3 hours
Maximum Dive Speed: 950 km/h
Maximum Load Factor: +7.0/-2.5 g
Armament
5 x hardpoints with up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb)
1 × 23 mm cannon (optional)

About a quarter of the aircraft's line replaceable units are common between it and the HAL Tejas trainer variant

 

[Shaitan]

 

[bhramos]

all this pics are old pics......
the pics you posted in IAF colours are current one..... which have fins near the cockpit... similar to this one

RIP to that Pilot

 

[Payeng]

^^ yeah I am just describing the history of development in short, is there any difference in between the design, any modification?

 

[Zebra]

After Basic, Intermediate Trainer Crisis Looms For IAF
Monday, May 07, 2012

HAL HJT-36 Sitara | Photo Courtesy Vayu Aerospace

Just about the time the Indian Air Force has begun to feel a little reassured that it will be able to conclude a contract for desperately needed basic propeller trainers, another equally daunting challenge has popped up. By early 2014, the IAF's 81 HJT-16 Kiran Mk.1 & Mk.2 intermediate jet trainers will stop flying, reaching the end of their total technical life. Now the Kiran's replacement, the HJT-36 Sitara, was supposed to have begun deliveries in June this year. The programme hasn't even achieved initial operational clearance (IOC), originally scheduled for July 2011, a milestone indefinitely put off after a prototype crash three months before it.

Now here's the thing: the IAF had hoped the induction of the HJT-36 and the phase out of the Kiran would overlap, allowing for a small period of time when both aircraft would be operational together. This, now, almost certainly won't be the case, say sources, considering the substantial proving work the HJT-36 still has ahead of it before it is ready for final operational clearance. And under no circumstances can the Kirans be pushed beyond early 2014. Therefore, the prospect (hopefully) of having a small number of new propeller trainers, a full fleet of advanced jet trainers and no Stage-2 aircraft is becoming increasingly real. In fact, the IAF is already accounting for such a scenario. The IAF has no plans to buy intermediate trainers from abroad. But remember, that's precisely what they once said about basic trainers as well.

The IAF signed a contract with HAL for 12 Limited Series Production (LSP) HJT-36 aircraft in March 2006 and 73 fully certified aircraft in March 2010 with deliveries scheduled from June 2012. As the IAF said to a recent Parliamentary committee, "The project is running behind schedule."

Livefist

 

[Ganesh2691]

HAL's HJT-36 Sitara Project Struggling

lack of news on HJT-36 and its current status , prompted idrw.org to do some digging with its reliable sources to get the current status of the project , in what ever we have put together till now , we can only say Project is struggling with many technical difficulties .

Next year HJT-36 will complete 10 years of it first flight ( 2003 ) but its unlikely that engineers in HAL will plan a big celebration or even if they do they will keep it low key event . speed at which the project was sanctioned and same speed was shown in development of the first PT-1 aircraft in next 18 months of sanction but after that the project has seen downhill in development and testing front .

In 2007 and 2009 both PT-1 and PT-2 suffered minor crashes which lead to serious delays in the program , but change in the engine requirement by Indian air force meant that Program was stalled in flight tests since many of tests had to be re validated with the new engine , First two aircraft were initially powered by a SNECMA Turbomeca Larzac 04-H-20 non-afterburning turbofan developing 14.12 kN of thrust. but change of ASR by IAF in mid 2005 meant a new engine had to be found and selected.

NPO Saturn AL-55I was selected which is a scaled-down version of the AL-31FP engine that flies the Su-30 MKI combat aircraft. but it was a non-existing engine then , and whole development of his engine had to be funded by India and flight worthy certification and manufacturing saw two years of delays before it was integrated with IJT .

Sources informed us that IJT ( S-3466) which had serious crash On 28 April 2011, where both the pilots were able to eject safely but suffered serious spinal injuries and fractures was actually powered by NPO supplied Saturn AL-55I engine and the aircraft was totally destroyed . sources inform us that engine suffered technical problems resulting into crash , even LSP-1/2 IJT which had been integrated with AL-55I engines were grounded , due to which whole program suffered major set back .

Another sources have told us that due to engine change wing had to be re-aligned along with some minor changes to the fuselage and aircraft also suffered set backs in flight test since many flight characters had to be re-tested with new engines , the aircraft also suffered in spin tests as per sources .

Another Sources have told idrw.org had IJT-36 will be able to hit Production line only in early 2015 and Indian air force will be forced to use Kiran Mk-II aircraft even further then planned before it was due for retirement . Indian air force has been monitoring its flight tests closely now . But even HAL and IAF doesn't want to set any time frame before aircraft gets its IOC or FOC .

IAF currently plans to purchase 60 more Bae Ajt Hawks on top of 20 Bae Ajt Hawks for Surya kirans anticipating delays in IJT project .

HAL's HJT-36 Sitara Project Struggling | idrw.org

 

[farhan_9909]

Re: HAL's HJT-36 Sitara Project Struggling

k 8 is the answer as a stop gap measure

cost just 10millions

can be offered as a good gesture from pakistan side

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hongdu_JL-8

 

[p2prada]

Re: HAL's HJT-36 Sitara Project Struggling

Buying K-8 won't be an option considering public opinion against Pakistan.

 

[agentperry]

Re: HAL's HJT-36 Sitara Project Struggling

k 8 is the answer as a stop gap measure

cost just 10millions

can be offered as a good gesture from pakistan side

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hongdu_JL-8

you know it wont materialize. and moreover if india will buy it then it will buy directly from china

 

[Defcon 1]

I never understood one thing. HAL kiran is a basic trainer whereas Sitara is an intermediate one. Then how can sitara replace kiran??

 

[Splurgenxs]

I never understood one thing. HAL kiran is a basic trainer whereas Sitara is an intermediate one. Then how can sitara replace kiran??

its dual purpose, Basic and intermediate trainer.

 

[p2prada]

I never understood one thing. HAL kiran is a basic trainer whereas Sitara is an intermediate one. Then how can sitara replace kiran??

Kiran handled both basic and intermediate training. HPT-32 was a basic trainer.

There is a HJT-39 coming up, it will be a twin engine aircraft and a Hawk replacement.

Anyway, the training aircraft are seeing proper distinction only now. We will have a basic, intermediate and advanced trainers compared to the mess earlier.

 

[Defcon 1]

Kiran handled both basic and intermediate training. HPT-32 was a basic trainer.

There is a HJT-39 coming up, it will be a twin engine aircraft and a Hawk replacement.

Anyway, the training aircraft are seeing proper distinction only now. We will have a basic, intermediate and advanced trainers compared to the mess earlier.

If that is the case, why can't we just manufacture more kirans as stopgaps till sitara achieves operational capability??? Why go for foreign planes?