Bangalore: Desi fighter jet is a high flier indeed

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas attained a significant milestone by flying the 500th sortie this year, the highest achieved in a calendar year thus far.

The 500th flight of the year took place on Friday. The achievement is significant, given that the highest number of sorties attained earlier in a calendar year was less than 300 sorties. This feat follows close on the heels of attaining initial operational clearance on December 20.

Avinash Chander, scientific advisor to the defence minister and secretary, department of defence R&D, said: “The single most important factor behind the achievements is the synergy of teamed efforts of ADA, DRDO, CEMILAC, HAL and IAF.”

The DRDO said the year 2013 has been exceptionally successful for Tejas in achieving key milestones while participating in seven detachments all over country, an excellent achievement in itself.

Noteworthy accomplishments are in-flight relight (shutting off and then reigniting the single engine), high-energy brake testing, flight envelope expansion, R73E missile firing with radar guidance, air-to-ground weapon tests, emergency jettisoning of entire store, aircraft in wake tests , wet runway trials and demonstration of swing role capability during exercise IRON FIST. All these led to a big leap towards achieving initial operational clearance 2, DRDO added.