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| Indian Airforce Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) |
The Hawk Mk-132 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) was inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2008 as a fighter trainer with the aim to replace the Kiran Mk-ll/MiG-21 route of training. Keeping in view the delay in delivery of Hawk by HAL due to receipt of defective components, Jigs and fixtures from the foreign manufacturer on whom liquidated damages of 6.5 million GBP were levied, the original training plan by Hawk for 2010-11 was modified and pilots of the IAF were trained on the MiG-21 aircraft.
This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Shri MM PallamRaju in a written reply to Shri PonnamPrabhakar in Lok Sabha today.
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Purchase of Trainer Aircraft
A contract for procurement of 75 Basic Trainer Aircraft was signed with M/s Pilatus Aircraft Ltd., Switzerland on 24th May 2012 at a cost of Rs.2895.63 Crore.
The HPT-32 was the basic trainer aircraft in the Indian Air Force (IAF) till July 2009. The HPT-32 aircraft had persistent problems of engine cuts. The aircraft was grounded due to safety reasons on 31st July, 2009 after a fatal accident due to engine cut.
This information was given by Minister of Defence Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Sugumar K. in Lok Sabha today.