The NPO Saturn AL-55 is a high performance turbofan engine manufactured by NPO Saturn Russia, for powering advanced trainers, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and light attack aircraft. A variant of the AL-55I powers the HAL HJT-36 Yashas Indian jet trainer.
India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, from 1999, was developing HAL HJT-36 Sitara, a subsonic intermediate jet trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force to replace the ageing HAL HJT-16 Kiran.
The design comprises five main features. It has a three-stage low pressure compressor, five stage high pressure chamber, an annular combustion chamber and a single stage high and low pressure turbines.