By: Suman Sharma
India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A, manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) made its spectacular debut atop the Bengaluru skies at the 15th edition of the biennial airshow Aero India 2025, enthralling the vast audience comprising representatives from 80 nations at the Yelahanka Airbase.
Four Mk-IA aircraft flew in ‘finger four’ formation called ‘Yodha’ formation. The Mk IA second prototype did an amazing aerial display in front of the spectators. The Mk-IA, also called the ‘Alpha,’ is a more capable and significantly upgraded aircraft slated to be a part of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the coming months.
The upgrade includes a new sensor suite, new more capable Mission and Digital Flight Control System, new weapons, net centric capability and Astra BVRs apart from Precision guided weapons. IAF has placed an order for 83 aircraft on HAL. The lead aircraft are poised to get Military Type Certificate and enter service.
The Mk-1A is an enhanced version of the Mk-1, which is already in service with the IAF. The LCA program is poised to be a key pillar of India’s air combat capabilities, with the IAF projected to operate around 350 LCAs—including Mk-1, Mk-1A, and Mk-2 variants—over the next decade and beyond.
The LCA Mk-1A induction into service is facing delays over engines from the US-based manufacturer GE Aerospace, on which HAL Chief Dr. DK Sunil said, “We have assured the IAF at multiple meetings that all Mk-1A structures will be ready. Once the engines arrive, production will commence.”
HAL is actively working to resolve the engine supply issue. Two major contracts—one for 97 additional Mk-1As and another for 156 light combat helicopters for the IAF and the Army, valued at $15BN are expected to be finalised within the next three to six months. HAL is committed to deliver all 83 Mk-1As from the first order within three-and-a-half years and aims to complete the upcoming 97-aircraft follow-on order by 2031.
HAL CMD Dr. Sunil announced that the company’s current order book stands at $15 billion, with key contracts including 156 ‘Prachand’ multi-role light combat helicopters and 98 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets. Looking ahead, HAL aims to expand orders to $23 billion by outsourcing sub-assemblies to private players, ramping up production lines, and achieving its target of manufacturing 24 aircraft per year by 2026.
HAL’s Upgraded Hindustan Jet Trainer (HJT) 36 Unveiled as ‘Yashas’
The flagship jet training aircraft of HAL, Hindustan Jet Trainer- HJT-36, is now renamed as ‘Yashas’ after extensive modifications to resolve departure characteristics and spin resistance throughout the aircraft envelope. Secretary Defence Production, Sanjeev Kumar, unveiled the new name in the presence of Dr D K Sunil, CMD, HAL and senior officers at Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru.
“The large-scale changes to the baseline intermediate training platform has led to significant upheaval in its capabilities and hence provided an opportunity for a new name to be given in accordance with the aircraft’s continued relevance as a training system for modern military aviation. In light of this, HJT-36 is named Yashas”, said Dr Sunil.
For induction into service, the aircraft was recently upgraded with state-of-the-art avionics and an ultra-modern cockpit. These will enhance training effectiveness and operational efficiency, whilst providing weight reduction and overcoming obsolescence of imported equipment with Indian LRUs.
Yashas is capable of stage II pilot training, counter insurgency and counter surface force operations, armament training and aerobatics. It is powered by a FADEC controlled AL55I jet engine, providing best in class thrust to weight ratio, optimised thrust management and reliability. Stepped up rear cockpit with drooped nose provides excellent all-around vision and enhanced situational awareness with state-of-the-art glass cockpit with MFDs (multi-functional display and HUD (head up display). The capabilities of HJT-36 are stall and spin, aerobatics, armament carriage up to 1000kg, single point ground refueling and defueling.
The HAL Management Academy (HMA), the nodal training agency of HAL and the Indian Institute of Information Technology Dharwad (IIIT Dharwad) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen industry-academia collaboration in advanced technologies, at Aero India.
The partnership will focus on joint research, internships, and technical education in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Robotics, AR/VR, and Digital Manufacturing, particularly in applications relevant to the aerospace and defence sectors. Under this MoU, HAL officers will have opportunities to pursue higher education programs at IIIT Dharwad, while students will gain hands-on experience through internships at HAL’s various divisions. The collaboration also includes joint workshops, technical paper publications, and faculty exchange programs.
