The Indian Air Force has initiated the long-awaited process to replace its Hawk MK-132 advanced jet trainers, issuing a Request for Information to both Indian and global manufacturers for around 150 aircraft, The New Indian Express reported.

These Stage-III (F) trainers will be the final step before pilots move into operational fighter squadrons. They are expected to familiarise young pilots with airborne radars, electronic warfare systems and beyond-visual-range missiles before they graduate to frontline fighters such as the Rafale and Tejas, and eventually the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.

Responses to the RFI are due by October 5, with trials to be conducted in India on a no-cost-no-commitment basis. The program remains at the market-sounding stage, with the RFP scheduled for December 2027.

Deliveries are to be completed within 60 months of the contract’s effective date, meaning the first aircraft is unlikely to reach a training base before the mid-2030s. The IAF has specified “Buy (Indian) or better” as the preferred procurement category, requiring manufacturers to detail the scope of technology transfer they can offer.

Foreign contenders are expected to include Leonardo’s M-346 Master and Korea Aerospace Industries’ T-50 family, while Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.'s proposed HLFT-42 is the principal Indian option. The procurement will follow a single-stage, two-envelope process, with technical and commercial bids submitted separately. Aircraft that clear technical evaluation will undergo field trials in India before the contract is awarded to the lowest technically compliant bidder.

The IAF has contracted 106 Hawk MK-132 aircraft in two tranches. The first contract in 2004 covered 66 aircraft, with 24 supplied directly from the UK and 42 licence-produced by HAL. A further 40 were contracted in 2010.

The sanctioned strength was 106, while the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence recorded 104 in 2017-18. The figure of 123 includes 17 aircraft ordered for the Indian Navy. The Hawk entered service in 2008 and has been the principal Stage-III trainer for nearly two decades.

The need for a successor is not simply about ageing airframes. The combat environment has changed substantially, with modern fighters relying on networked sensors, electronic warfare, long-range missiles and sophisticated data links.

The IAF wants these capabilities reflected in the new trainer. The global Hawk production line has closed, and the UK has also issued an RFI for a successor, pursuing Boeing’s T-7 training system in partnership with BAE Systems and Saab.

India’s experience with indigenous trainer programs has been marked by delays. The HTT-40 basic trainer, cleared for 106 aircraft in 2020 and contracted for 70, saw its first series-production aircraft fly only in October 2025, eight years after its prototype.

Delays in Honeywell engine supply highlighted dependence on imported components. Similar vulnerabilities exist with the TEJAS MK-1A, which faces delays in GE Aerospace engine deliveries. The HJT-36, renamed Yashas, has been in development for two decades, while HAL’s HLFT-42 remains at the design stage.

The new trainer is expected to incorporate advanced features. The RFI calls for fly-by-wire controls, a glass cockpit with configurable HOTAS, navigation integrating NavIC with GPS and GLONASS, and zero-zero ejection seats.

The aircraft must be resistant to departures and capable of automatic recovery. Embedded simulation is a major shift, with requirements for virtual avionics, electronic warfare suites, and missile seeker head simulation. A secure data link will connect the aircraft with a full-motion dome simulator and scenario generator in a Live-Virtual-Constructive environment, with holographic debriefing support.

Operational requirements include hot refuelling and rearming within 30 minutes, engine changes within an hour, AI-based predictive maintenance and open architecture for future upgrades.

The IAF continues to operate with 29 fighter squadrons against an authorised strength of 42.5, limiting the use of frontline aircraft for training. The new trainer is intended to bridge the gap between current fighters and next-generation combat aircraft, while reducing pressure on operational squadrons.

Agencies