The first flight of the homegrown basic trainer aircraft is set for March, but it might be too early to uncork the champagne. The project was nearly derailed by the previous government and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has breathed new life into it. Ground runs of the trainer are already underway and the first flight it keenly awaited. The air force has a three-tire training programme which involves a basic trainer in the first phase for recruits followed by coaching in an intermediate jet trainer and then the advanced trainer. The air force has now rejigged the programme into a two aircraft plan but is still in need of a basic trainer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for make in India has changed the approach of the country to defence armament and this has renewed interest in the basic trainer. However, India’s track record in taking aircraft from the drawing board to the skies has not been very impressive. Tejas, the light combat aircraft, which was at least 30 years in the making is likely to be inducted into the air force only in 2018 and there is no way of estimating how long it will take for the basic trainer to become air worthy. While make in India is a goal worth pursuing, the journey to fruition will be long if the private sector is not included in the equation.
