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India Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas
An indigenous intermediate jet trainer developed by HAL to replace the Kiran trainer fleet for stage-II pilot training in the Indian Air Force, redesignated Yashas after redesign to resolve early spin-recovery issues.
In service since 2023 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
950
km/h
925
km range
9,000
m ceiling
1,000
kg payload
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to India export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2023. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 950 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 0.8 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 925 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 9,000 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 5 |
|---|---|
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 1,000 kg |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 11.6 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 8.5 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 3,600 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 5,100 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 2 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | NPO Saturn AL-55I turbofan |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 1 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 17 kN |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 0 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the top speed of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas? +
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas has a maximum speed of 950 km/h.
What is the range of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas? +
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas has a maximum range of 925 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas? +
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas can carry up to 1,000 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas weigh? +
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas has a combat weight of 5,100 kg.
How many crew does the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas require? +
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas requires a crew of 2.
What engine does the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas use? +
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas is powered by the NPO Saturn AL-55I turbofan.
How many countries operate the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas? +
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas cost? +
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HJT-36 Sitara / Yashas: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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