Indian AF To Acquire 15 Light Transport Aircraft

The Indian Air Force has ordered 15 indigenous Saras Light Transport Aircraft despite a March 6 accident that killed three persons on board. A senior Air Force official said the 14-seat aircraft, designed by National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bangalore, costs about $8 million. A structural redesign reduced the weight of the second prototype by more than 500 kilograms from the first prototype, which weighed 5,118 kilograms, said an NAL scientist. The plane is powered by a high-thrust engine from Pratt and Whitney, the scientist claimed. Saras, named after the Indian crane, is a multirole aircraft that can be used for aerial search, border patrol and airlifting troops. It can take off from and land on short, semi-prepared, runways. Saras will get its relevant certifications by 2010, the NAL scientist added.

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