{"id":32920379,"date":"2026-11-15T15:09:06","date_gmt":"2026-11-15T14:09:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/hal-hjt-16-kiran-indian-air-force-jet-trainer-surya-kiran-history\/"},"modified":"2026-11-15T15:09:21","modified_gmt":"2026-11-15T14:09:21","slug":"hal-hjt-16-kiran-indian-air-force-jet-trainer-surya-kiran-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/hal-hjt-16-kiran-indian-air-force-jet-trainer-surya-kiran-history\/","title":{"rendered":"HAL HJT-16 Kiran: India&#8217;s Jet Trainer That Refuses to Retire"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\r\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\r\n\r\n<style>\r\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid 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Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, days from retirement as Chief of the Air Staff, flew his last sortie in uniform at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, near Hyderabad. His aircraft was a HAL HJT-16 Kiran Mk I, tail number U707. In the other seat sat Wing Commander V.S. Kochar (retd), the instructor who had taught him to fly the same type in 1984.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Few aircraft can stage a moment like that. The <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/hal-hjt-16-kiran\/\">Kiran<\/a>, Sanskrit for &ldquo;ray of light&rdquo;, first flew in 1964 and has trained generations of <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/air-forces\/indian-air-force\/\">Indian Air Force<\/a> pilots. More than six decades later it is still in service, and still waiting for the replacement that was supposed to retire it long ago.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border:1px solid #e2e7ee;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0 26px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:18px\"><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Type:<\/strong> Two-seat intermediate jet trainer<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Maker:<\/strong> Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>First flight:<\/strong> 4 September 1964<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>In service:<\/strong> Indian Air Force from 1968; also Indian Navy<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Engines:<\/strong> Mk I\/IA: Rolls-Royce Viper 11, about 2,500 lbf; Mk II: Bristol Siddeley Orpheus, about 4,200 lbf<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Production:<\/strong> Ended 1989; 190 Mk I and IA, plus the Mk II<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Top speed:<\/strong> About 695 km\/h (432 mph) at sea level (Mk I)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Display teams:<\/strong> Surya Kiran (IAF, 1996-2011), Sagar Pawan (Navy)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Status:<\/strong> Still in IAF service in 2026; retirement planned by 2027<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">A home-grown jet trainer<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>The Indian Air Force wanted an intermediate jet trainer to bridge the gap between its basic trainers and front-line jets, and it wanted one built at home. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) answered with a straight-winged, two-seat jet powered by a single Rolls-Royce Viper 11 turbojet of about 2,500 lbf (11.1 kN). Writers have long noted how closely the layout resembled Britain&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/bac-jet-provost\/\">BAC Jet Provost<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The prototype flew for the first time on 4 September 1964. Pre-production aircraft reached the Indian Air Force in March 1968, and full-scale production followed. The design team&rsquo;s experience then went straight into HAL&rsquo;s much more ambitious <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/hf-24-marut\/\">HF-24 Marut<\/a> fighter.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/hal-kiran-mk-ii-u2482-yelahanka-indian-air-force.jpg\" alt=\"Silver Indian Air Force HAL HJT-16 Kiran Mk II U2482 with underwing stores on display at Yelahanka\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">Kiran Mk II U2482 on show at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bangalore, in 2005, with underwing stores on its hardpoints. Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:U2482_HAL_HJT-16_Kiran_Mk_II_Indian_Air_Force_(8414612318).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aeroprints.com \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Mk I, Mk IA and the Orpheus-powered Mk II<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>The first production version, the Kiran Mk I, was a pure trainer. The Mk IA added two underwing hardpoints so students could practise weapons delivery with bombs, rocket pods, gun pods or drop tanks. Between them, the Mk I and IA came to 190 aircraft.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The Kiran Mk II was a bigger step. HAL replaced the Viper with a Bristol Siddeley Orpheus turbojet of about 4,200 lbf, the same engine family as the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/folland-gnat\/\">Folland Gnat<\/a>, added four hardpoints and fitted twin 7.62 mm machine guns in the nose. The Mk II first flew on 30 July 1976. Production of all versions ended in 1989, with a batch also going to the Indian Navy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PnKSRUCaH4M\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 24px\">An overview of the HAL HJT-16 Kiran, India&rsquo;s long-serving &ldquo;ray of light&rdquo; jet trainer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The numbers behind the type are remarkable. In February 2015, at a celebration of the Kiran&rsquo;s golden jubilee, the Deccan Herald reported that it had trained as many as 10,000 pilots and logged 1.2 million flying hours. That was more than a decade ago, and the Kiran was still flying.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;Kiran has been a great success. I myself have 1500 hours of flying in it and it has been with the Air Force through all kinds of crises.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Air Marshal Ramesh Rai<\/strong> &mdash; Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, IAF Training Command, at the Kiran&rsquo;s golden jubilee, February 2015 (Deccan Herald)<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Surya Kiran: Rays of the Sun<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>For the public, the Kiran&rsquo;s finest hour came with an orange and white paint job. In 1996 the IAF formed the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/display-teams\/surya-kiran\/\">Surya Kiran<\/a> aerobatic team on Kiran Mk IIs, based at Bidar in Karnataka. It started with four aircraft, grew to six and, by 1998, to nine. The Navy formed its own Kiran team, Sagar Pawan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/hal-hjt-16-kiran-mk-ii-surya-kiran-livery-aero-india-2011.jpg\" alt=\"An HJT-16 Kiran Mk II in Surya Kiran orange and white livery banking overhead at Aero India 2011\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A Surya Kiran Kiran Mk II at Aero India in February 2011, the team&rsquo;s last show season on the type before it was stood down. Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:HJT-16_Kiran_-_Aero_India_2011_-_20.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Saad Faruque \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The team ended its Kiran era for a very practical reason. In 2009 the IAF grounded its HPT-32 Deepak piston basic trainers, and the Kiran had to cover basic as well as intermediate training. Every airframe was needed for students, so after Aero India in February 2011 Surya Kiran was stood down and its jets went back to the training role. The team only returned in 2015, now flying the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/bae-hawk\/\">BAE Hawk Mk132<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cwAkFew0NvQ\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 24px\">Surya Kiran flying its Kirans at Aero India in Bangalore in February 2011, the team&rsquo;s final season on the type.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Still waiting for Sitara<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>The Kiran was meant to hand over to HAL&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/hal-hjt-36-sitara\/\">HJT-36 Sitara<\/a>, which began development in the late 1990s. The Sitara&rsquo;s path has been long, with accidents during flight testing and an extensive redesign. In the meantime the IAF bought the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/pc-7-turbo-trainer\/\">Pilatus PC-7 Mk II<\/a> for basic training and licence-built Hawks for advanced training, but neither is a like-for-like intermediate trainer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/hal-kiran-mk-ii-indian-navy-in062.jpg\" alt=\"Indian Navy HAL HJT-16 Kiran Mk II IN062 in grey and orange in flight\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An Indian Navy Kiran Mk II, IN062. The Navy used the type for intermediate training and for its Sagar Pawan display team. Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:HAL_HJT-16_Kiran_of_Indian_Navy.JPG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indian Navy \/ Wikimedia Commons, GODL-India<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>So the Kiran soldiers on. As early as 2015, HAL promised to support the fleet until 2019. The IAF now plans to retire the type by 2027. India also gave a handful of Kirans to Myanmar in December 2018, giving the old trainer a second career abroad.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;I started my journey with the same aircraft. I think I must be the only Chief who is retiring on the basic aircraft he flew is still serving.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh<\/strong> &mdash; Chief of the Air Staff, after his final sortie at Dundigal, 20 October 2026 (Deccan Chronicle, Swarajya)<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Full circle at Dundigal<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>That is what made the October 2026 sortie so fitting. Singh had first flown a Kiran at Dundigal in January 1984 and graduated from the Air Force Academy with the Sword of Honour. Eight days before his final Kiran flight, on 12 October, he had flown his last fighter sortie in an indigenous Tejas at Jodhpur. Then he went back to where it began, flew 55 minutes with his old instructor, and was greeted with a water-cannon salute.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lmrFtJlIv8E\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 24px\">Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh&rsquo;s farewell Kiran sortie at Dundigal on 20 October 2026 (Hindi news report).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Kochar, 73, called his former student the &ldquo;brightest pupil ever&rdquo;. It would be hard to find a better summary of what the Kiran has done for six decades: take nervous young cadets and turn them into the people who one day run an air force.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><em>Sources: Deccan Chronicle, Swarajya, Deccan Herald, Vintage Aviation News, Indian Air Force<\/em><\/p>\r\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\r\n\r\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<p class=\"mf-photo-credits\" data-no-translation style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;font-style:italic;margin:6px 0 18px\">Header photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:HJT-16_Kiran_-_Aero_India_2011_-_4.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Saad Faruque \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>What is the HAL HJT-16 Kiran?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The HAL HJT-16 Kiran is a two-seat intermediate jet trainer designed and built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India. It first flew on 4 September 1964, entered Indian Air Force service in 1968 and was also used by the Indian Navy. Kiran is Sanskrit for ray of light.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is the difference between the Kiran Mk I and Mk II?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Kiran Mk I and Mk IA used a Rolls-Royce Viper 11 turbojet of about 2,500 lbf, with the Mk IA adding two underwing hardpoints. The Mk II, first flown on 30 July 1976, used a Bristol Siddeley Orpheus of about 4,200 lbf, four hardpoints and twin 7.62 mm nose machine guns.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Did Surya Kiran fly the HJT-16 Kiran?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. The Indian Air Force formed the Surya Kiran aerobatic team on Kiran Mk II jets in 1996 at Bidar. It flew them until it was stood down after Aero India in February 2011, when the aircraft were needed for pilot training. The team returned in 2015 on BAE Hawk Mk132s.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Is the HAL Kiran still in service?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. The HJT-16 Kiran was still flying with the Indian Air Force in 2026, and Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh flew his final sortie in uniform in a Kiran Mk I at Dundigal on 20 October 2026. The IAF plans to retire the type by 2027.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What will replace the HAL Kiran?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Kiran was meant to be replaced by HAL&rsquo;s HJT-36 Sitara intermediate jet trainer, in development since the late 1990s but delayed by test accidents and redesign. Meanwhile the IAF uses the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II for basic training and licence-built BAE Hawks for advanced training.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How many pilots has the Kiran trained?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">At the Kiran&rsquo;s golden jubilee in February 2015, the Deccan Herald reported that the trainer had trained as many as 10,000 pilots and logged 1.2 million flying hours. The type has stayed in service since then, so the real totals are higher.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Can I fly in a Jet Provost?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Kiran is often compared with the British BAC Jet Provost, and you can fly in a Jet Provost T.5A with MiGFlug in Italy, where it is based permanently and available all year. Its side-by-side seating lets you watch the pilot at work. See the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/flights-prices\/l-39-mb-326-jet-provost-in-italy\/\">Jet Provost flight<\/a> page.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the HAL HJT-16 Kiran?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The HAL HJT-16 Kiran is a two-seat intermediate jet trainer designed and built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India. It first flew on 4 September 1964, entered Indian Air Force service in 1968 and was also used by the Indian Navy. Kiran is Sanskrit for ray of light.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the difference between the Kiran Mk I and Mk II?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Kiran Mk I and Mk IA used a Rolls-Royce Viper 11 turbojet of about 2,500 lbf, with the Mk IA adding two underwing hardpoints. The Mk II, first flown on 30 July 1976, used a Bristol Siddeley Orpheus of about 4,200 lbf, four hardpoints and twin 7.62 mm nose machine guns.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Did Surya Kiran fly the HJT-16 Kiran?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. The Indian Air Force formed the Surya Kiran aerobatic team on Kiran Mk II jets in 1996 at Bidar. It flew them until it was stood down after Aero India in February 2011, when the aircraft were needed for pilot training. The team returned in 2015 on BAE Hawk Mk132s.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is the HAL Kiran still in service?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. The HJT-16 Kiran was still flying with the Indian Air Force in 2026, and Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh flew his final sortie in uniform in a Kiran Mk I at Dundigal on 20 October 2026. The IAF plans to retire the type by 2027.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What will replace the HAL Kiran?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Kiran was meant to be replaced by HAL\u2019s HJT-36 Sitara intermediate jet trainer, in development since the late 1990s but delayed by test accidents and redesign. Meanwhile the IAF uses the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II for basic training and licence-built BAE Hawks for advanced training.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many pilots has the Kiran trained?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"At the Kiran\u2019s golden jubilee in February 2015, the Deccan Herald reported that the trainer had trained as many as 10,000 pilots and logged 1.2 million flying hours. The type has stayed in service since then, so the real totals are higher.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can I fly in a Jet Provost?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Kiran is often compared with the British BAC Jet Provost, and you can fly in a Jet Provost T.5A with MiGFlug in Italy, where it is based permanently and available all year. Its side-by-side seating lets you watch the pilot at work. See the Jet Provost flight page.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/hal-hf-24-marut-india-first-indigenous-jet-fighter-kurt-tank-1971\/\">HAL HF-24 Marut: India&rsquo;s First Jet Fighter, Designed by Kurt Tank<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/surya-kiran-mysuru-dasara-air-show-2026-hawk-mk132\/\">Mysuru Dasara Air Show: Surya Kiran Beats the Rain on Day Two<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/bac-jet-provost-strikemaster-side-by-side-trainer\/\">The Friendly Jet Trainer That Went to War<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/aero-l-29-delfin-czechoslovakia-first-jet-trainer-warsaw-pact\/\">Aero L-29 Delf\u00edn: Czechoslovakia&rsquo;s First Jet Trainer<\/a><\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<!--mfcred1-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The HAL HJT-16 Kiran first flew in 1964, launched the Surya Kiran team and has trained thousands of Indian pilots. In October 2026 it flew the IAF chief&rsquo;s farewell sortie.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":32920221,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[666,664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32920379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-and-legends","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>HJT-16 Kiran: India&#039;s Long-Serving Jet Trainer | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"HJT-16 Kiran history: India&#039;s HAL jet trainer first flew in 1964, launched Surya Kiran and flew the IAF chief&#039;s farewell sortie in October 2026.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" 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