This has led to a dramatic three-way face-off between the MoD, HAL and the IAF. The IAF insists that it needs more Pilatus trainers immediately and is pressing the MoD to exercise the options clause in the Pilatus contract for 37 more PC-7 Mark II trainers. HAL points out that Pilatus will complete delivery of the initial order for 75 trainers only in 2015. If the HTT-40 does not fly by then the options clause can be exercised then, bringing HALs order down to 71 aircraft.
Although Ajay Shukla is presenting it here as an foreign procurement vs Indian prodcurement here, the isse clearly are the fear of HAL that their possible order could be reduced by 37 trainers, which again means less profit and higher unit costs for the HTT40, which might even can kill the whole deal.
...The HAL team at Aero India 2013 said that the HTT-40s only two imported systems would be the engine and the ejection seat, which together cost Rs 6 crore...
...Top HAL sources tell Business Standard that the life cycle estimates make a fleet of 108 HTT-40s trainers cheaper than a PC-7 Mark II fleet by Rs 4,500 crore.
When you calculate lifecycle costs, you have to also see that operating 2 different trainers, for the same basic training will increase the maintenance and logistical costs for IAF too. So the lower maintenance of the HTT40 compared to the Pilatus, might still add costs at the end!
HAL has also proposed supplying the HTT-40 to the Indian Navy, which will eventually have more than 500 aircraft, including aircraft carrier based fighters. HAL is confident that the navy will eventually set up its own training establishment, instead of training naval pilots in IAF training facilities. This would provide an additional market for the HTT-40.
This imo would be the worst decision ever and it would be a scandal to me IF HAL would even think this way (unless that was an Ajay Shukla interpretation), since it would show that they also looking at their profits only!
There is nothing that would be different for IN pilots, during their initial training compared to IAF pilots. Separating them only adds more logistical nightmare and huge costs for MoD, besides that it separates the forces even more, instead of forcing them to interoperate on basic things.
I know very well what IAF wants but i was suggesting what is logical.
When even the US uses only two platforms to train its pilots(which r actually just improved versions of PC7 n Hawks) so why the heck is IAF hell bent to use 3 platforms.
IMO 2 stage platform will save both Time n Cost in training
A 3 stage training is not that unusual, several European forces does this as well, the difference is only the type of aircraft chosen by IAF, because it is unusual to have a jet engined trainer as the 2nd stage, rather than an advanced tandem seat prob trainer and a side by side seat trainer to provide cadets with the basics lessons in flying.
Now IAF had merged the tandem seat config into the 1st stage, which was a reason why the NAL Hansa was not considered (although the Grob 120TP strangely was) in the competion and why you needs something more advanced than the tandem seat trainer, which then is HALs IJT. You are right though that you basically can merge the IJT and Hawk into 1 stage, but that would kill the IJT and all the development time and money we have put in it. The HTT 40 on the other side is still only in it's early development stages and a kill now wouldn't be that problematic.
Imo MoD must not bow down now, only HAL feels hurt after all the bad PR they get recently (some hyped and some made publically for the own interest of other companies), but when they look at it rationally, IAF don't need another basic trainer, only because it's Indian and it would be better for HAL to prove their worth and capability by focusing in IJT instead!
