Bangalore, Dec. 18: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) plans to design and manufacture two sophisticated flying machines ? a combat air trainer (CAT) and a light combat helicopter (LCH) ? for the Indian Air Force.

The twin-engine jet trainer, a couple of notches higher than the British Hawk (advanced jet trainer of the IAF) in terms of design, avionics and other attributes, has been offered to the air strike wing.

?We are in discussions with our customers (IAF) as there will be a requirement for such an aircraft. It will be more advanced than the Hawk with large wings, large fuselage and hi-tech cockpit for enhanced training capability,? HAL?s new chairman Ashok Baweja said at a news conference here.

?It can be positioned between the intermediate jet trainer (IJT) and the light combat aircraft (LCA). The proposal is being examined at the highest level for inducting CAT into the air force after the 66 Hawks are extensively used for training its fighter pilots.

?Once we get the green signal from the IAF, the first prototype will be built in 39 months,? Baweja said.

The air force will shortly acquire 24 Hawks from BAE Systems, the UK, while the remaining 42 will be manufactured under licence by HAL at its Bangalore complex.

The other project, the light combat helicopter, will be an advanced version of Dhruv, the advanced light helicopter.

?The defence services have expressed keen interest in the LCH project. The discussions are at an advanced stage. The LCH is meant to replace the existing fleet of Chetak and Cheetah helicopters being used by the IAF, Indian Army and the Indian Navy,? Baweja said.

On Dhruv, he said the company plans to make forays into the international market, particularly Latin America, Israel and Southeast Asia.

HAL had already sold two Dhruvs to Nepal and one to Israel and flown four to Chile to prove their capabilities. ?We are looking forward to a positive response,? the chairman said.

Baweja pointed out that on completion of the ongoing flight tests, HAL would commence the limited-series production of IJTs for stage-two training of IAF pilots.

?We intend to launch the limited-series production of IJT soon to enable its early induction into the service. Two prototypes are undergoing flight evaluation and about 120 flights have been completed so far.?

HAL has also initiated discussions with companies such as Snecma (France), Israel Aircraft Industrie (IAI) and Elbit (Israel) for joint ventures in aero-engine components and for joint marketing of advanced light helicopter and development of aircraft simulators.