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Aviation History
1998
1998 - 3359.PDF
The Kiran 2 is set to be usurped by a new HAL trainer by around 2005 HAL reveals mock-up of trainer HINDUSTAN Aeronautics (HAL) unveiled a mock-up of its HJT-36 intermediate trainer at the show. The aircraft is a tandem- seat, single-engined, swept wing design, aimed at replacing the HAL Kiran 2 which will need to be removed from service in 2005, says die Indian manufacturer. The design, which is at the con cept stage, is likely to be powered by a foreign engine. No decision has yet been made, but power- plants like the Rolls-Royce Viper and Turbomeca Larzac are likely to be considered. The Indians say die aircraft will also have hardpoints and a head-up display - the mock-up showed a system built by Sextant Avionique. While the Indian aerospace industry and air force pursue their aim of replacing die Kiran 2, the show was rife with rumours that die Indian Government is about to select an advanced trainer. About 60 aircraft are likely'to be pur chased if it goes ahead. Industry sources believe a short list has been drawn up including the British Aerospace Hawk and and the MiG-AT being developed by MAPO. The Dassault/Dasa Alpha Jet has been die only otlier serious contender in a competition that has run for years. Both the shortlisted aircraft were on display at the show. The Indian air force has a long standing requirement for an advanced trainer. Its lack of a mod ern trainer has been the subject of much criticism for years. A Government Audit Commission report recendy cited the lack of an advanced trainer as die primary cause of the Indian air force's increasingly high accident rate. The MiG-AT is at least seven months away from completing its development programme and only two aircraft are flying. The Hawk has clocked up more than 700 sales to 17 countries and die Rolls- Royce Turbomeca Adour turbofan is already built under licence by HAL for the Indian air force's Jaguar strike aircraft fleet. Co-pro duction is likely which ever aircraft is selected. • NEWS IN BRIEF • TRANSPORT AGREEMENT Hindustan Aeronautics and the National Aeronautics Laboratory have signed a memorandum of under standing to co-operate on a 14-seater transport project known as Saras. The research organisation has been pursu ing the programme for years, initially with the Russian aerospace industry. The 14- seater commuter aircraft will be used for an air ambulance role and commuter flights to remote rural areas. • INDIAN REFUELLING Flight Refuelling of the UKis in talks with the Indian air force to supply Mk32 refu elling pods to give the air force's Sukhoi Su-30s a flight refuelling capability. The sin gle pod would fit on the cen treline pylon of the Sukhoi. Air force Jaguars could also perform buddy-buddy refu elling from the Su-27. The pod concept appeals to the Indian air force because it could be taken off the Su-30 and refitted to another air frame, such as the Ilyushin II- 76. India does not currently have an inflight refuelling capability. Indian air force offered MiG-29 upgrade package MAPO is offering a MiG-29 upgrade to the Indian air force to bring its fleet of MiG-29A fighters up to die SMT multirole standard first shown at the Famborough air show this year. At the same time, the Russian compa ny has begun to make progress on its MiG-21 upgrade for India. The only current customer for the SMT variant is the Russian air force, which is expected to convert more than 200 MiG-29As to the new standard, which includes a strengthened airframe with a dor sal hump for extra fuel, new avion ics, Zhuk radar widi air-to-ground modes and capability for laser and TV guided munitions. The basic MiG-29A has no capability for air-to-ground mis sions beyond unguided rockets and iron bombs. MiG offered India the MiG- 29M in the 1980s, but India pre ferred to develop the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft. The MiG-29M also had increased fuel capacity, fly-by-wire flight control, a more advanced radar and air-to-ground capability. A proposed shipborne variant has also been offered to India as part of a package that includes the carrier Admiral Gorshkov. India has been negotiating for the carrier for some time. An announcement on its future may come when Russian prime minis ter Yevgeny Primakov visits New Delhi soon for talks on a major co operation agreement, including arms development and sales. The chances of an upgrade being undertaken by MAPO will not have been helped by the Russians' slow progress on a MiG-21 bis update for India. The Indian air force is set to receive its first upgraded MiG- 2 Ibis fighter from MAPO's Sokol plant in Nizhy Novgorod and begin flight trials in India by July, according to Sokol plant manager Vasily Pankov. Kits for the first six aircraft to be upgraded locally by Hindustan Aeronautics are to be dispatched soon, says Pankov. The first upgraded MiG-2 Ibis made its maiden flight in Russia on 6 October and a second aircraft is scheduled to fly in the middle of next month. India plans to upgrade 120 aircraft. The two test aircraft will each fly about 50h in Russia by the end of die first quarter of next year. The first aircraft is undergoing aero dynamic and system integration tests and die second fighter- fitted with a Phazotron Kopyo light weight multimode radar - is being used for trials with R-73 and R-77 (active radar) missiles, says Pankov. MAPO is confident that the delayed programme can be com pleted by 2001, but local industry officials doubt that HAL can meet the schedule. 3 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 16 - 22 December 1998 9
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