HAL HANDS OVER TRAINER AIRCRAFTS TO INDIAN AIR FORCE

India's Public Sector Aviation Manufacturer,

has handed over the Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas Final Operational Clearance Twin Seater Trainers and HTT 40 Basic Trainer Aircraft to the Indian Air Force in Bengaluru. It also handed over four Dhruv Next Generation helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited. The induction of these helicopters marks the entry into the civil aviation sector. It is India’s first indigenously produced civil helicopter to meet AS-4 requirements. This makes it suitable for civilian roles, including offshore operations. The company is now ready to manufacture Russia’s fifth-generation Su-57 "Felon" stealth fighter jets on Indian soil as it possesses the requisite technical expertise, skilled workforce, and a significant portion of the necessary infrastructure to undertake this massive project. The first prototypes of the indigenous stealth fighter are not expected to roll out until 2028 or 2029, with full operational deployment projected only after 2034.