SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) CMD CB Ananthakrishnan told the media that the scale model of the Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42) showcased at Aero India 2023 is fully a company initiative to offer Indian Air Force (IAF) a next-generation trainer aircraft platform that can be used to train pilots to fly next-generation fighter jets like AMCA.
HTT-40 and HJT-36 were based on the user (IAF) requirements but HLFT-42 is based on the possible requirements to meet evolving changes in the fighter pilot training curriculum and the lack of twin-seater aircraft being developed for future fighter jets like Tejas Mk2 and AMCA.
Further HLFT-42 refinement in the configuration and specifications might be changed as per requests from the IAF next before the design is frozen and the program heads towards the prototype stage. idrw.org has been told that HAL will prefer F414 engines to power HLFT-42 but is open to the use of F-404 or any other engines that IAF might consider appropriate but the possibility of its being powered by Dry Kaveri+AF variant is highly unlikely.
NOTE : Article cannot be reproduced without written permission of idrw.org in any form even for YouTube Videos to avoid Copy right strikes