First flown on 4 Sep 1964, the Kiran was designed and built by HAL as a basic jet trainer. The first Kiran Mk.Is with the RR Viper 11 turbojet were inducted in the IAF in Mar 1968, equipping the Flying Instructors School (FIS) at Tambaram. Production was switched to the Mk.IA with hardpoints, later to the Mk.II with an 18.728kN RR Orpheus 701-05 turbojet. Internal fuel was increased to 1340 L and a pair of 7.62mm guns with 250 rounds each was fitted in the nose. The Kiran formed the IAF's Surya Kiran and Indian Navy's Sagar Pawan aerobatic teams and still serves as an intermediate trainer.