HAL's New HLFT-42 Promise to Serve as Both a Modern Trainer and a Light Combat Fighter, Eyes Global Market with Potential $20M Price Tag

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is set to unveil its latest offering in the aerospace domain: the Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42). This new aircraft is designed to bridge the gap between advanced training and light combat capabilities, making it a versatile asset for modern air forces.

The HLFT-42 boasts advanced features such as an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, enabling it to track and engage multiple targets simultaneously. This, coupled with its ability to carry a range of weapons, makes the HLFT-42 a potent platform for light combat operations.

HAL has emphasized the aircraft's adaptability, highlighting its potential for customization to meet the specific needs of individual clients. This flexibility extends to its scalability, interoperability, and configurability, making it an attractive option for a wide range of international buyers.

While HAL has not yet released official pricing details, industry sources suggest that the base model of the HLFT-42 could be priced around $20 million USD. This competitive pricing strategy, combined with the aircraft's adaptability and advanced capabilities, is expected to make it a strong contender in the global defence market. It's important to note that the final cost of an HLFT-42 may vary depending on the specific configuration and features requested by the purchasing nation.

The HLFT-42 is poised to become a key player in the international fighter trainer market, offering a cost-effective solution without compromising on advanced capabilities. With its dual role as both a trainer and a light combat aircraft, the HLFT-42 represents a significant step forward in aerospace technology.

 

[PKPRS]

First think about supplying to Indian Armed Forces.

 

[Rinku Pandey]

Make in India, Make for the world! Success. Many countries will order this state of the art trainer.

 

[P.K Senapati]

Now that HAL IJT is going for production with Al55I engine.
Now focus on a twin engined combat trainer with radar and wepons with same engine.
That is better as Tejas trainer is already there.
A twin engined trainer will help AMCA pilots.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Design it such that in future kaveri can be integrated with it.

 

[obiwankenubi jedi]

Start Tejas mk1a deliveries please, get Trump to make GE deliver the engines and impose penalty for delay

 

[Kira]

HAL should seriously think of producing the Tejas and other trainers on time, where they are already behind by many years instead of doing their own personal side projects and day dreaming about exports.

 

[Superpower Bharat]

Now that HAL IJT is going for production with Al55I engine.
Now focus on a twin engined combat trainer with radar and wepons with same engine.
That is better as Tejas trainer is already there.
A twin engined trainer will help AMCA pilots.

For engine it is wrong... HAL will use AL-31 engine for HLFT-42... It will be 13.5 - 15.5 ton class super Sonic aircraft

 

[bonito]

After I getting into a similar situation where I couldn't deliver a project and half way struck but at the same time working on several projects which are also at the conceptualisation stage I get to understand how it is very important to deliver the first project and close the every increasing trust deficit on us by customer.

And the problem stemed just as very similar to what HAL is facing now, design was incorrectly portrayed by another team and marketing team has already sold it, I am in execution team facing difficulties and putting bandaid over bandaid to cover the base design issue (since it is already sold). I can deliver them now but reliability is a serious question.

 

[Akshat]

Start Tejas mk1a deliveries please, get Trump to make GE deliver the engines and impose penalty for delay

Before that HAL has to deliver the 40 Tejas Mk1 planes for which GE has already delivered the engines. Wonder what penalty GoI will impose on HAL for this massive delay.

 

[Anant]

Make in India, Make for the world! Success. Many countries will order this state of the art trainer.

For that to happen, it has to be delivered first. For that to happen, it has to physically exist first. Let's go in the logical order, shall we?

 

[Sandeep]

This is a critical project as the Hawk jets are too expensive to maintain and they are getting old now. We need at least a decade from the concept stage to the production stage in order to achieve success and we can’t spend decades on this.

Under HAL there are teams involved in designing, developing, manufacturing and certifying a jet. Now that they have designed the Tejas MK1A and Tejas MK2 the design team can move onto another project and we need a new advanced trainer. We need to manufacture this jet 100% indigenously so that we can become more self reliant. This fighter can also be armed with more weapons and superior technology and could one day replace even the Tejas MK1A jets as a main short range fighter if needed.

 

[Ayush raj]

Guys no need to criticise this programme becz of delay and other factors as air wing of indian armed forces be it navy or airfoce seriouly need a huge fleet of supersonic fighter jet trainer so that our fighter pilots can train in a real sipersonic jet and in real like combat scenario that will help them get necessary expertise in handling other aircrafts and in turn it will help india produce skilled pilots who have experience on flying a real supersonic jet. As the tech evolves we need to trajn our pilots more appropriately. Kb tk kiran or HJT jaise jets se training hote rhega they don't mimic actual combat aircraft and scenario so a supersonic fighter jet trainer is very much needed and if it doubles as a combat jet during need the it is a win-win situation.

 

[Dredd]

The engine that they are planning AL31 itself costs $15 million PER PEICE, how are they going to make a jet in $20 MILLION.

 

[Sandeep]

The engine that they are planning AL31 itself costs $15 million PER PEICE, how are they going to make a jet in $20 MILLION.

There’s no information that we will use the AL31 engines at all. It’s possible that they will use the F414 engine as soon as we sign a deal we will get 80% of the technology and get to manufacture it India. With the AL31 engine we only have about 50% of the technology or slightly more and get to manufacture that amount in India. So the F414 engine is more reliable and lasts a longer time than the Russian engine along with using more of our indigenous manufacturing capabilities.