HAL’s New Supersonic Trainer HLFT-42 Drops Lord Hanuman Image from Tail After Unveiling at Aero India 2023

Bengaluru (India), February 14, 2023: The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has removed a picture of Lord Hanuman from the tail of the HLFT-42 aircraft model displayed at the Aero India 2023 event in Bengaluru. The move comes after the aircraft model was unveiled with the image of the Hindu god on the vertical fin of the trainer the previous day.

The HLFT-42 aircraft is the successor to the HAL Marut, India’s first indigenous aircraft. The model had depicted Lord Hanuman as he was the son of Pawan, which is the other name for Wind.

The new supersonic trainer is equipped with modern avionics like Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite, Infrared Search and Track (IRST), and Fly by Wire Control (FBW) systems and is expected to play a critical role in modern combat aircraft training.

The five-day Aero India exhibition, which is being attended by over 700 defense companies and delegates from 98 countries, aims to showcase India’s growth and capabilities in the defense and aerospace sectors.

The event is focused on highlighting indigenous equipment and technologies and forging partnerships with foreign companies in line with the “Make in India, Make for the World” vision of the government.

Officials have stated that approximately 250 business-to-business agreements are expected to be signed at Aero India, which is anticipated to unlock investments to the tune of around Rs 75,000 crore.

The air show at the event on Monday featured numerous aircraft from the Indian Air Force, displaying their aerial prowess.

The theme of Aero India, “The runway to a billion opportunities,” reflects India’s increasing importance as an emerging hub for the manufacturing of military aircraft, helicopters, military equipment, and new-age avionics.