Ajeet

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Ajeet is a light‑weight, single‑engine trainer and ground‑attack aircraft that emerged from India’s quest for indigenous military aviation in the early 1970s. Developed as an evolution of the HAL Pushpak and the earlier HAL Marut projects, the Ajeet first flew on 21 April 1972 and entered limited service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 1975. While its airframe was based on the successful basic trainer, the design incorporated a more powerful 1,200 hp turboprop engine, a reinforced wing structure, and an enlarged fuel capacity that extended its range to over 1,200 km. Key features include a fully glazed cockpit for superior visibility, provision for underwing stores such as rockets, gun pods or light bombs, and a rugged undercarriage capable of operating from austere airstrips. The aircraft’s simplicity, low operating cost, and ease of maintenance made it ideal for pilot conversion training, tactical reconnaissance, and close‑support missions in the varied terrain of the Indian subcontinent. Though only a modest fleet was produced, the Ajeet demonstrated HAL’s growing capability to design and manufacture versatile combat aircraft, laying groundwork for later indigenous platforms such as the HAL Tejas and reinforcing India’s strategic autonomy in aviation.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

Classification

Dimensions

Production & History

Design & Classification