Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), on Monday, announced that its flagship jet training aircraft, Hindustan Jet Trainer, HJT-36, has been renamed as 'Yashas' after extensive modifications to resolve departure characteristics and spin resistance throughout the aircraft envelope.
Secretary Defence Production Sanjeev Kumar today renamed the HJT-36 trainer aircraft as Yashas at the Aero India.
— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2025
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Chief DK Sunil said, "The aircraft can be a replacement for the Kiran Mark 2 aircraft and has good export potential also." pic.twitter.com/PJt5gx1NpA
Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, Defence Production, unveiled the new name in the presence of D.K. Sunil, CMD, HAL and senior officers at the ongoing Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru.
"The HJT-36 was started in 2000. It flew, did a lot of certification tests but unfortunately, there was an incident after which we had to rework the design and the fuselage was extended. The radar was improved and the spin characteristic, which was a problem, has been fixed and we have also improved the cockpit,” Sunil said.
#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: On renaming HJT-36 trainer aircraft as 'Yashas', DK Sunil, Chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) says, "The HJT-36 was started in 2000. It flew, did a lot of certification tests but unfortunately, there was an incident after which we had… https://t.co/h0L3G0NCSx pic.twitter.com/1qKmoVW34u
— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2025
"The large-scale changes to the baseline intermediate training platform have 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," he added.
He further said the IAF has shown interest in the aircraft and the company is planning to lease them to the force.
The aircraft was recently upgraded with state-of-the-art avionics and an ultra-modern cockpit. These will enhance training effectiveness and operational efficiency while providing weight reduction and overcoming the obsolescence of imported equipment with Indian LRUs (Line-Replaceable Units), HAL said.
Powered by a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) controlled AL55I Jet engine, providing best in class thrust to weight ratio, optimised thrust management and reliability, Yashas is capable of Stage II pilot training, counter insurgency and counter surface force operations, armament training, and aerobatics.
The stepped-up rear cockpit with a drooped nose provides excellent all-around vision and enhanced situational awareness with state-of-the-art glass cockpit with MFDs (Multifunction Display) and HUD (Head-Up Display), the HAL said in a release.
The capabilities of HJT-36 are stall and spin, aerobatics, armament carriage up to 1,000 kg, single point ground refuelling and defueling, it added.
