The HAL HTT-40 (Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40) is an Indian
training aircraft
A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristic ...
designed and built by
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian public sector aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Bengaluru. Established on 23 December 1940, HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the world. H ...
(HAL). It will replace the
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...
's retired
HPT-32 Deepak as a basic trainer.
Design and development
The HTT-40 is a
tandem
Tandem, or in tandem, is an arrangement in which two or more animals, machines, or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction. ''Tandem'' can also be used more generally to refer to any group of persons or objects w ...
seat
trainer aircraft
A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristic ...
powered by a
turboprop
A turboprop is a Gas turbine, gas turbine engine that drives an aircraft Propeller (aeronautics), propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction drive, reduction gearbox, gas compressor, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propellin ...
engine. In early 2012, the company forecast building 106 examples.
By the middle of 2012 the aircraft's future was in doubt as the Indian Air Force ordered 75
Pilatus PC-7 Mk IIs to fill the role envisioned for the HTT-40. In September 2012, the Air Force indicated that it had formally rejected the HTT-40 for service based on its cost per aircraft being double that of the PC-7 Mk II, a proven aircraft, already in service worldwide. An
MoD official noted, "We would be willing to pay higher rates to build indigenous capability in strategic defence equipment. But can HAL argue that the capability to build basic trainers is strategically vital
At that time HAL did not confirm the IAF announcement that it will not buy the HTT-40, nor did the company indicate whether the aircraft's development will be continued. A company spokesman said, "We treat all MOD issues/proposals as confidential... All our projects are conceived with national interest in mind though, at times, some of those take time to fructify".
The project formally began in 2013 with an internal funding of from HAL. It took five years foe the prototypes to enter spin testing phase.
Once the HTT-40 started flying, the Indian Air Force commander publicly stated that IAF will buy the HTT-40 in large numbers.

On 28 February 2015, it was reported that the MoD had selected 68 HAL HTT-40 trainers and 38
Pilatus trainers to replace its current trainer fleet, stating that this move was "commercially viable".
On 21 June 2015, HAL chose the
Honeywell
Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building automation, industrial automa ...
Garrett TPE331
The Honeywell TPE331 (military designation: T76) is a turboprop engine. It was designed in the 1950s by Garrett AiResearch, and produced since 1999 by successor Honeywell Aerospace. The engine's power output ranges from .
Design and developm ...
-12B turboprop to power the trainer. The deal was signed on 27 July 2022, for 88 engines, kits, maintenance and support worth more than $100 million. Honeywell will work with HAL to extend support for exports.
HAL rolled out the first prototype on 2 February 2016 and it first flew on 31 May 2016.
The HTT-40 made its first public introduction flight on 17 June 2016, with
Defence Minister
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...
Manohar Parrikar
Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar (13 December 1955 – 17 March 2019) was an Indian politician and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party who was the Chief Minister of Goa for three terms. He also served as the Union Minister of Defence ...
in attendance at the HAL airport in Bangalore. On 19 May 2017, the second prototype had its first flight.
In July 2019 it was anticipated that initial operational clearance would be reached by end of 2019 and that, after placement of an order, the first aircraft would be delivered to the IAF within a year. An HTT-40 prototype demonstrated critical six-turn spin test capability in September and sought final operational clearance. The aircraft also cleared Air Staff Qualitative Requirements (ASQRs). HTT-40 procurement falls under the category of "Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured” (IDDM), as per Defence Procurement Policy (2016).
In January 2020, HAL forecast that limited series production is to start in year 2020–21.
On 11 August 2020, the Defence Acquisition Council approved procuring 106 HTT-40s for the Indian Air Force. At
Aero India
Aero India is a biennial air show and aviation exhibition held in Bengaluru, India, at the Yelahanka Air Force Station. It is organised by the Defence Exhibition Organisation, Ministry of Defence.
Organisers
The Ministry of Defence, Indian A ...
2021, HAL received request for proposal from the IAF for 70 HTT40s with an option for 38 more. Production will take place at the Bangalore and Nashik manufacturing plants.
By August 2021, the HTT-40 had completed its spin certification flight testing. The platform received its provisional
certificate of airworthiness
A standard certificate of airworthiness is a permit for commercial passenger or cargo operation, issued for an aircraft by the civil aviation authority in the state/nation in which the aircraft is registered. For other aircraft such as crop-spray ...
from the
Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification
The Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC) is a laboratory of the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located in Bangalore
Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India# ...
(CEMILAC) on 6 June 2022. At DefExpo 2022, IAF and HAL concluded crore contract for 70 HTT-40. The remaining 36 will be procured after operationalization of HTT-40, with a possible follow on of 38 more units.
As per the reported delivery timeline, the first production aircraft is expected to be delivered in 2025-26. A total of 12 HTT-40 are to be delivered in the year, including 10 from Nashik and 2 from Bangalore production line. This would be followed by 20 aircraft per year including 15 and 5 aircraft from Nashik and Bangalore production line, respectively.
In February 2025, it was reported that the first aircraft would be delivered in September. The first order would be executed within 4 years. One of the prototype of the aircraft also participated in the inaugural
flypast
''FlyPast'' is an aircraft magazine, published monthly, edited by Tom Allett, Steve Beebee and Jamie Ewan.
History and profile
The magazine started as a bi-monthly edition in May/June 1981 and its first editor was the late Mike Twite. It is ow ...
at the
Aero India 2025 event.
Operators
*
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...
— 70 on order
Specifications (HTT-40)
See also
References
External links
{{HAL aircraft
HTT-40
2010s Indian military trainer aircraft
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Single-engined turboprop aircraft
Low-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 2016
Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear