BENGALURU: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Friday handed over two Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Final Operational Clearance (FOC) twin-seater trainers and three HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), and four Dhruv Next Generation (NG) helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) in Bengaluru.
The handover took place in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu. The two LCA FOC twin-seaters are the final aircraft under the FOC twin-seater contract and will support the IAF’s pilot training requirements.
Speaking at the event, Rajnath Singh said the handover marked a significant milestone in India’s efforts to build indigenous aerospace capability and self-reliance. He stressed the need for a gradual approach to developing aerospace systems, given the range of components and technologies involved.
Singh also called for greater public-private sector collaboration to develop next-generation aerospace capabilities. He said aircraft design, avionics, propulsion, composite materials, flight-control systems, manufacturing and certification developed within the country could benefit both the defence and civil aviation sectors. He also urged HAL to expand its capabilities across design, development, manufacturing, certification, lifecycle support and global marketing.
Terming research and development as a crucial priority area, the Defence Minister urged young scientists, engineers, designers, test pilots, and technicians to take it as a challenge to create technologies that do not exist today.
Naidu said the certification and induction of the Dhruv NG into civil operations marked an important milestone for India’s indigenous civil aviation ecosystem.
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD, HAL Ravi K stated that the handover of these aircraft demonstrates HAL’s ability to develop and deliver platforms for diverse civil and defence requirements.
The event was attended by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar and Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha.