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The Indian Air Force has initiated the process to acquire 150 advanced jet trainer aircraft to replace its ageing fleet of British Aerospace Hawk MK-132 trainers.

The Request for Information has been issued to global aerospace manufacturers, seeking details of their offerings for what the service designates as Stage-III (F) trainers. These aircraft will form the final stage of training for fighter pilots before they graduate to frontline combat aircraft such as the Tejas, Rafale or Sukhoi Su-30MKI.

Responses to the RFI are due by October 5. The subsequent Request for Proposal is scheduled for December 2027. With trials and evaluations to follow, the aircraft are unlikely to enter service before the 2030s. The IAF has clarified that trials will be conducted on a no-cost-no-commitment basis, a standard practice at this exploratory stage of procurement.

Pilot training in the IAF follows a three-stage pipeline. The first stage, lasting 24 weeks, is conducted on the Pilatus PC-7 MK-II turboprop trainer, now being replaced by the indigenous HTT-40. This phase covers basic flying manoeuvres, aviation theory, navigation and meteorology. After this, cadets are streamed into fighters, transports or helicopters.

The second stage, also 24 weeks, involves specialised training. Fighter stream cadets train on the Kiran MK-II, transport stream cadets on the Dornier-228, and helicopter stream cadets on the Chetak. This phase advances navigation, tactics and aircraft handling skills.

Stage III training is post-commissioning and is conducted on advanced jet trainers such as the Hawk Mk-132. Here, pilots master high-speed manoeuvres, tactical combat skills and advanced instrument flying.

They are introduced to combat systems and combat support systems. After this stage, pilots are posted to operational squadrons, where they continue training on specific aircraft types and progress professionally.

The IAF currently operates at a squadron strength of 29, well below the sanctioned 42.5. Its combined fleet of advanced jet trainers with the Navy stands at 119. The requirement for 150 new trainers suggests preparation for a larger fighter force, with the induction of TEJAS MK-1A, additional Rafales, the TEJAS MK-2 and eventually the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. Expanding the training apparatus is essential to match the growth in combat fleet size.

The absence of advanced trainers in the past had serious consequences. Before the Hawk’s induction in 2008, trainee pilots often transitioned directly from intermediate trainers to high-performance fighters such as the MiG-21. This training gap contributed to a high crash rate.

A Parliamentary Committee report in 2010 noted that 44% of crashes between 2004 and 2010 were due to human error, much of it linked to inadequate training infrastructure.

The new trainers are expected to incorporate advanced capabilities. The RFI specifies fly-by-wire controls, a glass cockpit with configurable hands-on-throttle-and-stick systems, and navigation integrating NavIC with GPS and GLONASS. Zero-zero ejection seats are mandatory. The aircraft must resist departures and automatically recover if controls are released.

Embedded simulation is a major requirement. The trainers must feature virtual avionics and electronic warfare suites, simulate missile seeker heads mid-flight, and connect via secure data links to 360-degree dome simulators under a Live-Virtual-Constructive environment. Holographic debriefing is also specified.

Operational demands include refuelling and rearming within 30 minutes, engine changes within an hour, AI-based predictive maintenance and open architecture for future upgrades from multiple vendors. These requirements reflect the IAF’s intent to prepare pilots for the complexities of modern air combat.

Several aircraft are likely contenders. The Boeing–SAAB T-7 Red Hawk, Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master and KAI T-50 Golden Eagle are among the frontrunners. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has pitched the TEJAS as a lead-in fighter trainer and is developing the HLFT-42, showcased at Aero India 2023. 

The HLFT-42 is being designed as an advanced trainer with combat capabilities.

The demand for 150 trainers, well above the current fleet, signals a broader shift in training philosophy. It reflects a proactive approach to modernisation, ensuring that future pilots are trained on platforms that mirror the capabilities of next-generation fighters.

The lessons of the past, when the absence of advanced trainers led to avoidable crashes, underline the importance of this acquisition. The IAF is positioning itself to meet the demands of future air combat with a robust and technologically advanced training pipeline.

Agencies