The Ministry of Defense has agreed to purchase six Dornier-228 planes for the Indian Air Force (IAF) for Rs 667 crore from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The addition, according to the MoD, will strengthen the IAF’s capabilities in the Northeast and on the country’s island territories. The Dornier-228 is a multi-purpose light transport aircraft with 19 seats. The aircraft was designed with functionality in mind and can be used for a variety of tasks such as transporting people and goods, operating air taxi services, performing coastal guard duties, and conducting sea-based monitoring operations.
HAL, the state-owned aircraft manufacturer, manufactures the German-origin Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) twin turboprop aircraft, which has been in service with the IAF, Navy, and Coast Guard for more than three decades. Initially, the Indian Air Force used the aircraft primarily for transporting routes and communicating. It has also been used to train IAF transport pilots over the years. The latest batch of six aircraft will have an advanced fuel-efficient engine and a five-bladed composite propeller, according to the Ministry of Defence.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Defence, the aircraft is ideal for short-distance flights from partially developed or brief airstrips in India’s North East and islands. The purchase of six additional aircraft will increase the Indian Air Force’s operational capacity in these remote areas.