Indian Air Force proposes licence-building PC-7 turbo trainers
The Indian Air Force (IAF) intends to licence-build Pilatus PC-7 Mk II basic turbo-trainers to supplement the 75 aircraft acquired in 2012.
In a recent proposal to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the IAF outlined plans to begin constructing 106 PC-7s at its Base Repair Depot (BRD) in Sulur, southern India, by early 2015. The proposal aims to make good its long-pending shortage of 181 basic trainer aircraft (BTA) and ensure trouble-free pilot training.
The IAF's proposition followed its categorical rejection of the delayed Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) programme to design and build 106 Hindustan Turbo Trainer 40 (HTT-40) aircraft to make up BTA numbers.
"The IAF cannot have two types of BTA, as it would be an extravagant and wasteful move, besides adding to logistical complications to operate them," then-Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne said in October 2013.
In a letter to the MoD in July 2013, he had expressed disappointment with HAL's record in designing, constructing, and maintaining aircraft. Browne, who retired in December 2013, also pointed to the state-owned manufacturer's history of delays and cost overruns in developing platforms, a record he said undermined the IAF's operational readiness.
The IAF acquired 75 Pilatus PC-7s after grounding its fleet of 180-200 HAL-designed Hindustan Piston Trainer 32 (HPT-32) basic trainers in July 2009 following a series of fatal accidents.
It now aims to acquire 10 of 106 PC-7s in 'fly-away' condition, 28 in semi-knocked-down kits, and the remaining 68 in completely-knocked-down configuration for assembly at the Sulur BRD.
"The BRDs are ramping up their capacity and will soon be capable of building complete aircraft," Browne said in 2013.
The IAF operates 14 BRDs across the country, one of which, at Ozar in western India, is involved in upgrading its MiG-29 fleet.
IAF officials said the delivery of PC-7s ordered in 2012 will be completed by early 2015. The first batch of 40 IAF pilots began six months of training on 14 PC-7s delivered to the Air Force Academy at Dindigul, southern India, in July 2013.
Following the MoD's approval, the IAF hopes to start producing the Swiss trainer indigenously. "It's about time that the IAF got into the driver's seat and started building its own aircraft, instead of always depending on HAL," Air Marshal V K Bhatia (rtd) told IHS Jane's .
"HAL's quality control is questionable, and over decades, has proved highly disappointing to the IAF, besides being costlier," he added.
But senior officials associated with the BTA project anticipate problems, as HAL is determined to continue with the HTT-40.
It argues that the HTT-40 will be a cheaper option than the imported PC-7s and developing the BTA indigenously will also reduce dependence on "erratic" foreign vendors.
The HTT-40 is still at an incipient stage of planning, and HAL officials at Aero India 2013 in Bangalore told IHS Jane's that it would take another three to four years to ready a prototype.
"Presently, the IAF is in no position to factor in any delays in HAL's BTA programme, as it faces a shortfall of around 470 pilots," a three-star officer said. "With the imminent induction of new fighters, it simply cannot afford to depend on HAL."
Indian Air Force proposes licence-building PC-7 turbo trainers - IHS Jane's 360