Trainer aircraft is top priority: Pallam

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The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament’s concern over use of “outdated and ageing” aircraft for training IAF pilots seems to have acted as the wake-up call for the defence ministry. Union minister of state for defence, M.M. Pallam Raju, on Wednesday said the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has been asked to clear IAF’s proposal to acquire 75 Swiss-made Pilatus 7 aircraft for basic training of its pilots. The clearance has been sought on “priority basis”, Dr Raju added.

The training is being conducted at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal here. Dr Raju said the lack of Basic Trainer Aircraft and the ensuing impact on training of rookie pilots demands “urgency”. The IAF has been unable to proceed with the critical deal to acquire basic trainers for its training commands since CCS is yet to clear the Rs 1,850 crore proposal.

It is learnt that MoD has now been informed that the situation is grave, and that even after CCS clearance, the first batch of trainer aircraft will take about three years to be inducted into the fleet. “I am aware that HPT-32 trainer aircraft, grounded after a fatal accident in 2009, are yet to find replacement in the form of Pilatus. We will now expedite the process,” Dr Raju said. He said the Chief of Air Staff has projected IAF’s demand very clearly and the defence ministry is now pursuing it.

The Public Accounts Committee report pointed out that while the government is finalising multi-billion dollar deals to buy 126 fighter aircraft, there wouldn’t be enough trained pilots to fly the new planes, going by the present shortage of serviceable trainer aircraft. “We are at present managing with the Kiran Mk II, and even those used for aerobatics have been given to the training commands to keep them moving,” Dr Raju said.

INS Chakra takes India to new realms, says Pallam Raju
“The induction of the quite and lethal INS Chakra into the Indian Navy has taken India to new realms and an altogether different league of defence preparedness,” said the Union minister of state for defence, Dr M.M. Pallam Raju. The minister said INS Chakra has high endurance given the fact that it travelled non-stop during the 40-day deep sea journey from Vladivostok, in Russia, to Visakhapatnam. “Its endurance is really 100 days with a crew of more than 70,” said Dr Raju.