Thursday, February 28, 2013

HJT-16 'Kiran' Aircraft With Its Weapons Complement [Image Of The Day]

An uncommon photograph - India's basic trainer aircraft along with the weapons it can carry on its hardpoints.

The indigenously built 'Kiran' is currently used as the Stage 2 trainer in the Indian Air Force [IAF] & the Navy. Stage I in the IAF is, henceforth, to be performed on the Swiss-built Pilatus PC-7, while Stage 3 training is carried out on the British-built BAE Hawk. Seen in the picture is an unguided rocket pod, which is partially covered by the Carrier Bomb Light Stores Mk200-1A, placed besides the  HJT-16 - the Mark 2 variant. They can be mounted on the 4 hard-points on the aircraft. Seen attached to its hardpoints, here, are drop tanks to carry extra fuel. Besides flight & weapon training, these aircraft could also play a limited role during combat, and could be tasked to perform ground attacks, in absence of enemy air defence.

HAL-HJT-16-Aircraft-Weapons

via www.aviationphotocompany.com

Built first in the 60s, these aircrafts are planned to be replaced with the HJT-36 'Sitara', Intermediate Jet Trainer [IJT]  aircraft, that the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited [HAL] is currently developing - a programme that has had its share of setbacks.

Godspeed

Related: IAF's HJT-16 aircraft in Yellow & Red paint scheme [Surya Kiran?]