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| Pilatus PC-7 (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons) |
Rajat Pandit
NEW DELHI: Upset with the huge delay in development of an indigenous basic trainer aircraft (BTA), the IAF has now formally asked the defence ministry to approve its acquisition case for 37 more Swiss Pilatus PC-7 to add to the 75 such planes already ordered for Rs 2,896 crore last year.
Defence PSU, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), however, is up in arms over this proposal. The indigenous aircraft manufacturer holds its under-development BTA, called HTT-40, will prove to be cheaper than the Swiss aircraft in the long run.
But IAF is not convinced about HAL delivering the aircraft either in time or in a cost- effective manner. "As per our calculations, each HTT-40 will be costlier than the Pilatus by Rs 2 crore-Rs 5 crore," said an IAF source.
Read the full story at Times of India