IAF Plans to Retire Kiran Trainer Aircraft in 2025, But Sitara IJT Still Not Ready for Replacement

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to retire its venerable Kiran trainer aircraft starting in 2025. This fleet of trainers, a mainstay of IAF pilot training for over four decades, is reaching the end of its operational life.

The intended replacement, the domestically developed Sitara Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has been plagued by delays, raising concerns about a potential gap in the IAF's training program.

The Kiran, introduced in the 1970s, has been instrumental in transitioning pilots from basic trainers to advanced combat aircraft. However, with aging airframes and systems, the IAF has determined that the Kiran needs to be phased out to maintain a modern and effective training program.

HAL's Sitara IJT was envisioned as a more advanced successor to the Kiran, designed to provide a smoother transition to frontline fighter jets. It promises enhanced training capabilities, focusing on aerobatics, advanced avionics, and combat simulations.

Despite its first successful flight in 2003, the Sitara IJT has faced numerous setbacks, pushing its induction into the IAF far beyond the initial 2012 target. Technical challenges, including performance issues at high altitudes, have hampered its development. Even after two decades, the Sitara has yet to receive approval for full-scale production.

These delays have raised concerns within the IAF, particularly as the 2025 retirement date for the Kiran approaches. The IAF is increasingly reliant on the aging Kiran trainers, potentially impacting its ability to train pilots on the latest generation of fighter aircraft, including the Rafale and Tejas.

The pressure is now on HAL to expedite the Sitara's development and production. A successful induction of the Sitara IJT would not only modernize the IAF's training program but also represent a significant achievement for India's indigenous aerospace industry.

The IAF's ability to maintain a robust pilot training program in the face of these challenges remains a critical issue. The coming years will be crucial in determining whether the Sitara can overcome its hurdles and fulfill its role as the Kiran's successor.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Give a hard deadline to HAL with quarterly goals for next 1-2 years. Monitor quarterly targets. Also, start looking for a pvt co and academia like IIT Kanpur. If HAL does not meet quarterly deadlines for one year then give this project to pvt co and academia partnership. One need not wait for project end to pull the panic button.

 

[GMR]

HAL will not be able to give Sitara, that's for sure.. ultimately misplaced trust of IAF will come to hunt them & will result in a situation like fighter jets.

 

[Anant]

The Sitara is a failed project. At this point, HAL cannot be trusted to get the Sitara working. The best thing we can do at this point is to cancel the project, document in great detail on what all went wrong, and start work in earnest on the HLFT-42 to replace the Hawks. In the meantime, as the Kiran starts retiring, we can get a number of intermediate trainers like the L-39NG or something.

 

[Akshat]

HAL will not be able to give Sitara, that's for sure.. ultimately misplaced trust of IAF will come to hunt them & will result in a situation like fighter jets.

It’s not misplaced trust. MoD is not letting them go abroad and newer options are taking time to come up.

 

[Kira]

I am pretty certain that HAL is unable to produce Sitara because of delayed engine supply from GE.

 

[Vkratos]

Let's not forget they HAL produced widow maker HPT-32. It was a horrible poor design and abomination in the name of a basic trainer. IAF was forced to accept it with a promise by GOI and HAL that aircraft would be improved. Countless IAF pilots and trainees died trying to fly it. No one in HAL was held to account.
HAL-Sitara is also in the similar category of a poor design and inconsistent performance which HAL has not been able to address. Hope the IAF has learnt it's lessons and does not accept a poor design aircraft.

 

[Anant]

I am pretty certain that HAL is unable to produce Sitara because of delayed engine supply from GE.

Boss, the Sitara doesn't use GE engines. The aircraft uses an Russian AL55 engine. However, the problem with the Sitara is that it is still a fundamentally-flawed design that has been band-aided.

Considering the delay in the project by this point, cancellation is the best course of action, with resources diverted to the HLFT-42. With the correct lessons from the HJT-36 program, we can avoid a similar debacle with the HLFT-42.

 

[Anant]

Let's not forget they HAL produced widow maker HPT-32. It was a horrible poor design and abomination in the name of a basic trainer. IAF was forced to accept it with a promise by GOI and HAL that aircraft would be improved. Countless IAF pilots and trainees died trying to fly it. No one in HAL was held to account.
HAL-Sitara is also in the similar category of a poor design and inconsistent performance which HAL has not been able to address. Hope the IAF has learnt it's lessons and does not accept a poor design aircraft.

You aren't wrong, but one can still sort of forgive for the HPT-32. Of the 170-ish aircraft build, 17 were lost, of which 11 were pilot-related. However, the HPT-32 was pretty much the first truly indigenous propeller aircraft designed in India (the HA-31, HT-2, and HUL-26 were all modifications of foreign designs), so one can cut a tiny bit of slack here.

However, the HJT-36 is by no means the first jet designed in India, so the failure is far far more significant here.

 

[Puneet]

Import a few IJTs and build the rest in India by the private sector in collaboration.

 

[Sandeep]

The jet has been under development for a long time and there was a fundamental fault in that it couldn’t pass its spin tests which is an essential requirement. From 2019 they carried out major structural changes to fix it and they did as it passed the test. I’m not sure if it’s been certified or not but if they are going to retire the Kiran trainer then it looks like they are ready to start production for the Sitara trainer.

 

[Vkratos]

You aren't wrong, but one can still sort of forgive for the HPT-32. Of the 170-ish aircraft build, 17 were lost, of which 11 were pilot-related. However, the HPT-32 was pretty much the first truly indigenous propeller aircraft designed in India (the HA-31, HT-2, and HUL-26 were all modifications of foreign designs), so one can cut a tiny bit of slack here.

However, the HJT-36 is by no means the first jet designed in India, so the failure is far far more significant here.

HPT-32 had major design flaws. HAL was unable to integrate the Lycoming engine with airframe. The engine was was unreliable and under powered. It had poor glide ratio which made a force landing for a new pilot almost impossible incase of engine failure. Bale out was almost impossible as the nose of the aircraft would pitch down and you literally had to stand on the instrument panel and bale out hoping the tail does not strike you. I can really go on......
Hope Sitara is not forced onto the IAF.

 

[Shanker]

HAL will not be able to give Sitara, that's for sure.. ultimately misplaced trust of IAF will come to hunt them & will result in a situation like fighter jets.

I do believe that Sitara will make it sooner than later, especially after having cleared the critical spin test!🙂

 

[Kira]

Boss, the Sitara doesn't use GE engines. The aircraft uses an Russian AL55 engine. However, the problem with the Sitara is that it is still a fundamentally-flawed design that has been band-aided.

I know that Sitara does not use GE engines, but older Russian ones, my comment was sarcastic and aimed at all folks who are blaming GE solely for MK-1A production delays rather than pinning the blame where it actually belongs aka HAL.