Excerpts from an official company statement: Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) today announced its Beechcraft T-6C (rendered in IAF colours in the impression above) military trainer is scheduled for evaluation by the Indian Air Force in field evaluation trials beginning Oct 11 at the Air Force Station Jamnagar in India. HBC is vying for a contract that specifies an initial purchase of 75 aircraft and options for follow-on orders that could eventually exceed 100 aircraft. A decision on the contract is anticipated in the coming months. The evaluations will be conducted over five days and consist of flights by IAF test and instructor pilots.
Go with the Tucano!!! I have been hearing about this contract for ages now.
pity.
with all the TOTs' and big talks, HAL (in it's own right) has nothing to put on the table – even at this kind of basic level.
How much do we spend on them?
– nanovacuum (US)
It is high time that the Big Indian Bourgeoisie shall purchase the American weapon industries.
Finally. I'm glad to see the IAF didn't believe HAL's bluff over the so-called HPT-40. No need for pilots to die just so they can have another monopoly contract to add to their massive pile.
I hope other alternatives like the Grob two-seat trainer will also be evaluated. And that HAL and their Communist crony AK Antony don't try to block the purchase like GTRE did for the Tejas mk.2 engine tender.