Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) plans to display a scale model of the upcoming Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42) aircraft, which it intends to offer to the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a low-cost Lead-in Fighter Trainer and also compete with on international markets against the Korean T-50 and Chinese Hongdu JL-10 Lead-in Fighter Trainer aircraft.
It appears to have short strakes attached to the air intakes, giving it a similar appearance to the air intakes of the HF-24 fighter aircraft, which was built in the early 1960s by HAL under the direction of German Kurt Tank.
In addition to eyelet-style changeable exhaust, the HLFT-42’s nose portion is long enough to enable a tandem cockpit that can fit a very small fire control radar.
HLFT-42 will be an all-metal, single-engine fighter aircraft that will likely be powered by the F404 engine or the Kaveri engine when it is ready for production.