Bengaluru: Homegrown fighter Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas got inducted into the IAF on Friday. Three decades after the fighter project went into development, two aircraft were inducted into the Air Force at a ceremony at IAF’s Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in the city.
According to officials from the Ministry of Defence, these aircraft- in Initial Operational Clearance configuration - will be part of the first Tejas squadron that will be initially based in Bengaluru. It will later be moved to Sulur in Tamil Nadu.
The aircraft is designed and developed by Bengaluru-based DRDO establishment, Aeronautical Development Agency. ADA is also the nodal agency for developing the fighter, which is manufactured by defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The HAL is currently manufacturing 20 aircraft that will form the first squadron.
“Inducting LCA into the IAF proves our capabilities to develop a fighter aircraft,” Air Marshal (retired) BK Pandey told Express. It can be compared with MiG 21, but technologically LCA is a more superior aircraft, he added.
The project that began in 1983 was delayed due to various reasons. The US sanctions imposed after Pokharan nuclear tests in 1998 and wrong managerial decisions like giving engine work to DRDO lab, radar work to HAL and divergent views among IAF and DRDO were the major reasons. Meaningful funding too came 10 years after the idea was mooted in 1983.
01/07/16 New Indian Express
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According to officials from the Ministry of Defence, these aircraft- in Initial Operational Clearance configuration - will be part of the first Tejas squadron that will be initially based in Bengaluru. It will later be moved to Sulur in Tamil Nadu.
The aircraft is designed and developed by Bengaluru-based DRDO establishment, Aeronautical Development Agency. ADA is also the nodal agency for developing the fighter, which is manufactured by defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The HAL is currently manufacturing 20 aircraft that will form the first squadron.
“Inducting LCA into the IAF proves our capabilities to develop a fighter aircraft,” Air Marshal (retired) BK Pandey told Express. It can be compared with MiG 21, but technologically LCA is a more superior aircraft, he added.
The project that began in 1983 was delayed due to various reasons. The US sanctions imposed after Pokharan nuclear tests in 1998 and wrong managerial decisions like giving engine work to DRDO lab, radar work to HAL and divergent views among IAF and DRDO were the major reasons. Meaningful funding too came 10 years after the idea was mooted in 1983.
01/07/16 New Indian Express
