The HAL HJT-36 Yashas is a subsonic intermediate jet trainer aircraft designed and developed by Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC)[2] and built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.

[5] In April 2019, Sitara flew for the first time in three years with a modified air frame to correct its spin characteristics.

In the cockpit, the HJT-36 has a conventional tandem two-seat configuration with the trainee pilot forward and the instructor in the raised seat to the rear.

[33] The trainer has a full glass cockpit with a layout similar to current generation combat aircraft.

There is one center-line hardpoint under the fuselage and two-weapon pylons under each wing for carrying rockets, gun pods, and bombs.

[7] The prototype aircraft was initially powered by a SNECMA Turbomeca Larzac 04-H-20 non-afterburning turbofan developing 14.12 kN of thrust.

The AL-55I engine would be a Joint Venture of HAL and NPO Saturn and the deal for the development of the same was signed with Rosoboronexport in August.

The increase of TTL was important as ASQR projected a "utilisation rate" of 30 hrs/month per aircraft which meant the engines needed to be replaced every 10 months.

Earlier, 16 engines had been supplied to HAL for the prototypes and limited series production (LSP) aircraft.