HAL delivers Tejas trainers and HTT-40 aircraft to Indian Air Force

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has completed a major handover of indigenous aerospace platforms in Bengaluru. The ceremony, attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, included the delivery of two LCA Tejas Final Operational Clearance (FOC) twin-seater trainers to the Indian Air Force (IAF), completing the original Mk-1 trainer contract. Additionally, HAL delivered the first batch of three HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft to the IAF and four Dhruv Next Generation (NG) helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited, marking the entry of the civil-certified Dhruv NG into the commercial sector.

Regarding future production, HAL CMD Ravi Kumar reported that the Tejas Mk2 airframe assembly is complete, with a target ground run in March 2027 and a first flight later that year. While deliveries of the LCA Mk1A are facing temporary setbacks due to software, radar, and weapons integration issues, HAL expects to begin deliveries by the end of the year. The company is also working to increase its non-military revenue from 5% to 25% over the next decade by promoting the Dhruv NG for civilian roles such as medical evacuation and VIP transport.

Furthermore, HAL has begun fabricating prototypes for the ‘CATS Warrior’ autonomous drone. The company continues to decentralize manufacturing by outsourcing non-core processes to private industry to prevent production bottlenecks.