In A First, India's Self-Made Fighter Jet 'LCA Tejas' Finally Joins The Indian Air Force
India's first self-made fighter jet Light Combat Aircraft &lsquoTejas&rsquo or LCA Tejas is ready for the use by the Indian Air Force. It is a full-weaponised fighter jet. The aircraft could fly in many sorties and has demonstrated the precision with which it can deliver weapons.
In what can be called as a ¡®landmark day¡¯ for India, it¡¯s first self-made fighter jet Light Combat Aircraft ¡®Tejas¡¯ or LCA Tejas is ready for the use by the Indian Air Force. LCA Tejas received an operational clearance for induction into the Air Force.
It is a full-weaponised fighter jet. In a ceremony at the Aero India 2019, the country¡¯s military aviation regulator CEMILAC handed over its final operational clearance certificate to the Chief of Air Staff Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa.
#WATCH: Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) performs at the #AeroIndia2019 in Bengaluru; also pays homage to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who gave it the name 'Tejas' pic.twitter.com/qZJSt38NrH
¡ª ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2019
"It is a major milestone for the LCA (Tejas) to get the final operational clearance. The aircraft could fly in many sorties and has demonstrated the precision with which it can deliver weapons," Air Marshal Dhanoa told the press in the presence of Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar.
"LCA Tejas performed air-to-ground attacks and air-to-air refuelling at IAF's Vayu Shakti air display at Pokhran in Rajasthan on February 16," the Air Chief added.
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Speaking at the function, DRDO Chairman and Defence R&D Secretary G. Satheesh Reddy said, "The grant of final operational clearance to LCA Tejas is a landmark day for India's aeronautical engineers, scientists, the Indian Air Force, the defence industry and allied businesses."
Final Operational Clearance (FOC) of LCA Tejas MK I for Indian Air Force https://t.co/uvYB5u0IQW @DefenceMinIndia @AeroIndiashow @PIB_India @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/RbK0j7Nsjo
¡ª DRDO (@DRDO_India) February 20, 2019
State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd chairman and managing director R Madhavan said, "HAL had already responded to the request for proposal (RFP) floated by the Indian Air Force for procuring 83 LCA Tejas Mk-1."
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat also took a sortie in LCA Tejas. "Flight in LCA Tejas was an experience of a lifetime. From what I could witness, avionics are very good, it's targeting is very good. It's a wonderful aircraft if it gets added to inventory it will increase our air power," Rawat said while talking to reporters after the sortie.
Here's the video:
#WATCH Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat after taking a sortie in Light Combat Aircraft - Tejas in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/OOqlAARRWm
¡ª ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2019
