The Indian Air Force on Friday received the indigenous HTT-40 trainer aircraft. It has been named ‘Ankur’. The aircraft has been developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The Air Force signed a contract for 70 HTT-40 aircraft in 2023. As per the agreement, deliveries were scheduled to begin in September 2025. However, the delivery was delayed by around a year.
Besides this, HAL also handed over two Tejas trainer aircraft to the Air Force. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu attended the aircraft handover programme in Bengaluru on Friday.
The Defence Minister performed a puja for the aircraft. During the programme, HAL also handed over four new Dhruv helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited. Rajnath Singh also sat in the cockpit of a helicopter.
Two Tejas trainer aircraft handed over
HAL also handed over two LCA Tejas FOC trainer aircraft to the Indian Air Force. With this delivery, HAL has completed the supply of four twin-seater aircraft under the FOC contract.
The trainer aircraft are equipped with improved radar, an autopilot system, an upgraded fuel system, software-defined radios for secure communications and an air-to-air refuelling probe.
Pawan Hans gets four Dhruv NG helicopters
At the same event, HAL handed over four Dhruv NG helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited.
The delivery marks the first induction of the civil-certified Dhruv NG into the civil aviation sector. The 5.5-tonne helicopter is a light, twin-engine, multi-role aircraft designed and manufactured by HAL.
The Dhruv NG has been developed for multiple roles and is expected to expand the use of indigenously designed helicopters in India’s civil aviation sector.
