NEW DELHI (PTI): IAF has asked the government to procure the Swiss Pilatus basic trainer aircraft instead of similar aircraft being developed indigenously by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for training rookie pilots.
In a letter to Defence Minister A K Antony, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne has said cost of the HTT-40 aircraft being developed by the HAL would be higher than that of the Pilatus-PC 7 aircraft, which were recently inducted into the IAF, sources said here.
The IAF has placed orders for 75 such aircraft from Swiss firm Pilatus and wants to add 106 more to its fleet as it plans to expand facilities for training as also number of pilots in the force, they said.
HAL wants the government to acquire its under-development HTT-40 aircraft whereas the IAF wants to stick to the Pilatus.
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