Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is set to display revised designs of its Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42) and Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) at Aero India 2027. The exhibition will be held at Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bengaluru from 8 to 11 February 2027.
The event will be the 16th edition of Aero India. HAL first presented the HLFT-42 at the 2023 edition of the show. The aircraft has been conceived as a successor to the Indian Air Force’s BAE Hawk 132 jet trainer and as an advanced training platform for the Tejas Mk2 and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
Changes to the trainer design
The updated concept is longer than the earlier version, with its proposed length increasing from 16 metres to 16.4 metres. Its wing arrangement has undergone wind-tunnel testing, while a leading-edge root extension has been added to improve lift and increase the stall angle.
HAL has also revised the air-intake arrangement. The newer design uses larger intakes with a configuration resembling that of the LCA Tejas Mk2, replacing the smaller intake arrangement shown in earlier iterations. The HLFT-42 is intended to carry radar and other combat systems, allowing it to undertake fighter missions in addition to its training role.
| Platform | Role or change highlighted |
|---|---|
| HLFT-42 | Lead-in fighter trainer and proposed combat-capable aircraft |
| CATS Warrior Phase-I | Unmanned combat aircraft designed for manned-unmanned teaming |
| CATS Warrior Phase-II | Larger planned variant with two side air intakes |
New missile role for CATS Warrior
The CATS programme is being developed by HAL and Newspace Research & Technologies. Its elements include Warrior, an unmanned combat air vehicle; Hunter, an air-launched cruise missile; ALFA, a swarm carrier; and Infinity, a high-altitude pseudo-satellite.
The revised Phase-I Warrior design is to carry two Astra Beyond Visual Range missiles. Earlier displays had shown the aircraft carrying two ASRAAM missiles externally. The Phase-I aircraft will not have a radar; in the planned manned-unmanned teaming configuration, its missiles will be guided by the parent aircraft.
HAL plans a larger Phase-II Warrior variant with a length of 14.7 metres and a wingspan of 11 metres. Unlike the Phase-I design, which has a single air intake on top of the airframe, the proposed Phase-II version will have two intakes on the sides of the fuselage. The revised models at Aero India 2027 will therefore present changes across both the trainer aircraft and the unmanned systems intended to operate alongside crewed fighters.
- HLFT-42 will be shown in a 16.4-metre configuration after wind-tunnel work on its wing design.
- Phase-I CATS Warrior is planned to carry two Astra Beyond Visual Range missiles without an onboard radar.
- A larger 14.7-metre Phase-II Warrior is planned with side-mounted air intakes and an 11-metre wingspan.
