Zee News     
 
Coimbatore, May 11: As part of its mission to train its personnel in modern aircrafts, Indian Air Force would procure hawk 66 aircraft from the United Kingdom, a senior defence official has said.

The aircraft would be procured in batches from October 2007 and the Advanced Jet Trainers programme would begin from June 2008, Air Marshal B N Gokhale, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, told reporters here yesterday.

MIG series 21, 23, 27, 29 and HTD 32 and Kiran aircraft were at presently used for training the personnel, Gokhale, here on a visit to air force administrative college, claimed that over 10,000 personnel were trained by the command.

The MIG series would be gradually phased out, he said.

Gokhale also inaugurated a rs.12 lakh employees contributory health scheme polyclinic building to provide medical assistance for ex-servicemen and their families.

As far as accident involving training aircraft were concerned, it was minimum during 2005, he said adding that the college has started a distance educational programme for its personnel and would offer e-learning programme very soon.