Article Posted on : - Aug 28, 2012

The PC-7 MkII basic flight training turboprop aircraft. A Pilatus photo.

NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Air Force (IAF) has signed a contract with Swiss firm Pilatus for procurement of 75 Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) to train its rookie pilots and the delivery of these planes is scheduled between Feb 2013 to Aug 2012, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.

"A contract for procurement of 75 Basic Trainer Aircraft was signed with Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, Switzerland on May 24.

The delivery of these 75 aircraft is scheduled from February 2013 to August 2015," Defence Minister A K Antony told the House in a written reply.

In reply to a separate question on shortage of pilots in the IAF, he said that there is a shortfall of over 600 trained pilots in the force.

"The present strength of pilots as on Aug 1 is 3261 against the sanctioned strength of 3294," Antony said, adding that "the available strength of pilots in IAF is sufficient to meet the current requirement".

Replying to a question on development of "Friend or Foe System" for the forces, Antony said such a system has been designed, developed and has already been put into production.

"Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), Bangalore-based DRDO lab has designed, developed and productionised Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF) Mark-XII system," he said.

In his reply to a question on achievements of DRDO, Antony said, "Many systems developed by DRDO for the Armed Forces during the last five years can also be used for civilian applications."

There are 50 laboratories functioning under Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and at present, there is no proposal to set up new laboratory under DRDO, he said.