Wednesday, July 29, 2015

IAF asks HAL to stop work on jet trainer

New Delhi: In a setback for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Indian Air Force (IAF) has asked the state-owned firm to stop its efforts to produce the Intermediate Jet Trainers (IJT). This comes close on the heels of the recent accident of the advanced jet trainer Hawk, which is currently being produced at HAL under licence from BAE Systems, UK.
“While an inquiry has been ordered for the Hawk accident, the HAL is failing in its IJT R&D  (research and development) where the timelines have been revised at least thrice if not more. The company has already taken close to R630 crore from the government (for the IJT venture). The IAF has now lost its patience and has conveyed the same to  both the ministry of defence and the HAL,” revealed sources privy to the matter on conditions of anonymity.
Under the timeline indicated by HAL earlier, the IJTs were to be inducted in the IAF this year. However, a lot of tests of the machine are still not done. Also, issues related to the specifications given by the customer (IAF) have not been met with, the sources said.
29/07/15 Huma Siddiqui/Financial Express
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