List of Indian aircraft

The article constitutes most of notable aircraft produced by India. Since its independence, India has designed and produced a number of civilian and military aircraft. State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) remains the largest manufacturer of aircraft in country.

Trainers

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Name and designation Image Manufacturer First flight Status Number built Notes Ref (s)
HAL HT-2
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 5 August 1951 Retired 172 [1]
HAL Pushpak (HUL-26)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 28 September 1958 In limited use as private aircraft 160+ [2]
HAL Kiran (HJT-16)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 4 September 1964 In service 190 [3][4]
HAL Deepak (HPT-32 and HTT-34)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 6 January 1977 In service 125 HTT-34, the Turboprop variant of aircraft was introduced in 1984 [5][6]
HAL HTT-35 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited - Cancelled 0 Envisaged as replacement of HPT-32, never built.
HAL Sitara (HJT-36)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 7 March 2003 Limited series production 16 Induction due for 2023 [7]
HAL HTT-40
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 31 May 2016 In development 2 prototypes Developed as replacement for HPT-32. Total 106 airframes are planned for Indian Air Force. [8][9]
HAL Combat Air Trainer (HJT-39) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Never flown Cancelled 0 Dropped in favour of Hawk 132. [10]
HAL SPORT (Supersonic Omni Role Trainer Aircraft) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited TBD Designing phase Advanced trainer based on HAL Tejas fighter aircraft. [11][12]
HAL LIFT (Lead-In Fighter Trainer) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited TBD Proposed Advanced trainer based on HAL Tejas fighter aircraft.

Civilian

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Rotorcraft

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Name Image Manufacturer Role First flight Status Number built Notes Ref (s)
HAL Dhruv (ALH)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Utility helicopter 20 August 1992 In service 335 Number includes both military and civil aircraft [13]

Fixed wing

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Name Image Manufacturer Role First flight Status Number built Notes Ref (s)
HAL Basant
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Agricultural aircraft 30 March 1972 Out of production 39 [14]
NAL Hansa
 
National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) Light trainer 23 November 1993 In production 17 [15]
NAL Saras
 
National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) Airliner 29 May 2004 Mk1 in production, Mk2 in development 2 prototypes Mk2 proposed for flight in 2025 [16]
NAL NM5
 
National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) and Mahindra & Mahindra General aviation 1 September 2011 Cancelled 1 prototype
HAL/NAL Regional Transport Aircraft (Indian Regional Jet) HAL and NAL Airliner TBD In development

Military

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Rotorcraft

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Name Image Manufacturer Role First flight Status Number built Notes Ref (s)
HAL Dhruv (ALH) and variants
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Utility helicopter 20 August 1992 In service 335 Number includes both military and civil aircraft [13]
HAL Rudra (Dhruv-WSI) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Attack helicopter 16 August 2007 In service 91 (+75 on order) Weaponized version of Dhruv [17]
HAL Prachand (Light Combat Helicopter)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Attack helicopter 29 March 2010 In production 9 (+15 LSP and 162 choppers planned) [18]
HAL Light Utility Helicopter
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Light Utility Helicopter 6 September 2016 In production 3 (187 planned) [19]
Indian Multi Role Helicopter
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Medium multirole helicopter 2024-25 Under development [20]
HAL's Medium Combat Helicopter Program Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Large attack helicopter 2027 Under development [21]

Fixed Wing

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Name Image Manufacturer Role First flight Status Number built Notes Ref (s)
HAL Krishak (HAOP-27)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Surveillance aircraft November 1959 Retired 70 [22]
HAL Marut (HF-24)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Fighter-bomber 17 June 1961 Retired 147 [23]
HAL HF-73
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Strike fighter Never flown Cancelled 0 [24]
HAL Ajeet
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Fighter aircraft 30 September 1976 Retired 89 [25]
HAL Tejas (Light Combat Aircraft)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Multirole combat aircraft 4 January 2001 In production 40 (+83 on order) [26]
HAL Tejas Mk2 (Medium Weight Fighter) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Multirole combat aircraft 2023 (planned) Building prototypes [27]
HAL TEDBF (Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Carrier-based fighter 2026 (Expected) Under development [28]
HAL AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft)
 
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Stealth multirole fighter 2024 (Expected) Building prototypes [29]

Unmanned aerial vehicles

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Name Type Role Produced by Status Ref (s)
DRDO Kapothaka Fixed-wing UAV Technology demonstrator ADE Retired
DRDO Nishant Fixed-wing UAV Reconnaissance ADE Out of service
DRDO Fluffy Target drone ADE Out of production
DRDO Ulka Air-launched target drone ADE In service
DRDO Lakshya Target drone ADE In service
DRDO Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) or Target drone ADE In production
DRDO Imperial Eagle Fixed-wing Mini-UAV ADE Flight tested only
DRDO Netra Quadcopter Mini-UAV R&DE, ideaForge In service
NAL LCRA (Light Canard Research Aircraft) Fixed-wing UAV Technology demonstrator National Aerospace Laboratories Retired
DRDO Rustom Fixed-wing UAV Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) ADE Flight trials
DRDO Archer (Weaponized Rustom-I) Fixed-wing UCAV Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) ADE Under development
TAPAS-BH-201 (Rustom-II) Fixed-wing Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) ADE In production
DRDO Ghatak Stealth Flying wing UAV Unmanned combat aerial vehicle ADE Prototype testing
IAI-HAL NRUAV Rotorcraft Unmanned naval helicopter Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Under development

Ultralight

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See also

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Notes and References

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ Bridgeman 1953, pp. 118.
  2. ^ Orbis 1985, pp. 2172.
  3. ^ Smith 1994, pp. 157.
  4. ^ Taylor 1982, pp. 92.
  5. ^ Taylor 1996, pp. 401.
  6. ^ Lambert 1990, pp. 198.
  7. ^ Jackson, Paul; Peacock, Lindsay; Bushell, Susan; Willis, David; Winchester, Jim, eds. (2016–2017). "India". IHS Jane's All the World's Aircraft: Development & Production. Couldson. p. 304. ISBN 978-0710631770.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ "HAL Offers New Basic Trainer to Air Force". Archived from the original on 17 December 2010.
  9. ^ Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (n.d.). "Hal htt-40". Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  10. ^ Aero India - Local rival to BAE Hawk proposed - Flight Global, 15 FEBRUARY, 2005
  11. ^ Chetan Kumar (25 March 2019). "HAL designs two-in-one plane to train in peace, fight during war". The Times of India. Bengaluru. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  12. ^ "India offers LCA Tejas trainer variant to US Navy: Report". The Week. 31 January 2021. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  13. ^ a b Jackson, Paul; Munson, Kenneth; Peacock, Lindsay (2004). Jane's All the World's Aircraft (95th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's. ISBN 0-71062614-2.
  14. ^ Orbis 1985, pp. 2160.
  15. ^ Jackson 2004, pp. 192.
  16. ^ "Ministry of Defence gives nod for proposal to produce Saras civil aircraft developed by NAL". UNI. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Year-End Review – 2010 DRDO". Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  18. ^ Shukla, Ajai (13 August 2020). "Hindustan Aeronautics' light combat chopper cutting its teeth in Ladakh". Business Standard India. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  19. ^ Krishnan M., Anantha (12 February 2019). "HAL's Light Utility Helicopter to prove its mettle at plane carnival". The Week.
  20. ^ Pubby, Manu (30 March 2022). "Russia's invasion of Ukraine has cast a shadow on maintainability of Mi-17 helicopters". The Economic Times. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  21. ^ "Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd plans to produce Apache-like military helicopter in India". The Economic Times. New Delhi. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  22. ^ Taylor 1966, pp. 80.
  23. ^ Donald 1997, pp. 523.
  24. ^ "#SundaySpecial: HF-73: India's Ignored Path To Global Prowess?". The Frontier Vedette. 1 November 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  25. ^ Gupta 1997, pp. 50.
  26. ^ "Indigenous Tejas joins IAF's fighter squadron". The Hindu. 1 July 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  27. ^ "With expected 83 Tejas MK1A orders, ARDC shapes India's upgraded fighter". OnManorama. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  28. ^ "Aero India 2021: Indian TEDBF naval fighter showcased by HAL". Janes.com. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  29. ^ P, Rajat (22 November 2021). "AMCA Fighter Jet: Made-in-India stealth fighter project set to take off in 2022". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 September 2022.

Bibliography

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  • Bridgeman, Leonard (1953). Jane's all the worlds aircraft 1953/4. Compiled and edited by Leonard Bridgman. Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd., London 1953. 400 pp. 84s. net. Vol. 58. Cambridge University Press.
  • Taylor, John W. R. (1965). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.
  • Orbis (1985). "Part Work (1982-85)". Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. United Kingdom: Orbis Publishing. p. 2172.
  • Partington, David (2013). Civil Aircraft Registers of United Kingdom, Ireland & IOM 2013. Tonbridge, Kent: Air-Britain (Historians) Limited. ISBN 978-0-85130-453-3.
  • Donald, David; Jon Lake (1996). Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft (Single volume ed.). London: Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 1-874023-95-6.
  • Smith, Chris (1994). India's Ad Hoc Arsenal: Direction Or Drift in Defence Policy?. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-1982-9168-X.
  • Taylor, John W. R. (1982). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-7106-0748-2.
  • Taylor, John W. R. (1988). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Defence Data. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.
  • Lambert, Mark, ed. (1990). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1990–91. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Defence Data. ISBN 0-7106-0908-6.
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1996). Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory. London, England: Brassey's. ISBN 1-85753-198-1.
  • Taylor, M.J.H. (ed,). Brassey's World Aircraft Systems Directory 1999/2000 Edition. London: Brassey's, 1999. ISBN 1-85753-245-7
  • Taylor, M. J. H. (1999). Brassey's World Aircraft Systems Directory 1999/2000 Edition. London: Brassey's. ISBN 1-85753-245-7.
  • Jackson, Paul (2004). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. United Kingdom: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.
  • Taylor, John W. R. (1966). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company.
  • Donald, David (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
  • Gupta, Amit (1997). Building an Arsenal: The Evolution of Regional Power Force Structures. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-2759-5787-X.