As the IAF inducts the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas on July 1, here is a look at the aircraft.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) inducted the first squadron of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas on Friday, with two aircraft in the force fleet.
After nearly three decades in the making, the first two Tejas aircraft were handed over to the IAF by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The induction ceremony took place at the Aircraft System Testing Establishment, Bengaluru in the presence of Air Marshal Jasbir Walia, Air Officer Commanding-in Chief, Southern Air Command.
Here are some things you should know about the home-grown LCA Tejas:
Credit: tejas.gov.in
* Tejas is a 4.5 generation plane- equipped with helmet-mounted display and fly-by-wire, a computer-regulated and semi-automatic system for controlling the flight of an aircraft or a spacecraft.
* Tejas has multi-role capabilities. It is designed to carry a host of weapons- air-to-air, air-to-surface, precision guided and standoff weaponry. In air-to-air ones, Tejas will carry long-range beyond visual range weapons, with highly agile high off-boresight missiles to tackle any close combat threat. Additionally, a variety of air-to-ground munitions and an extremely accurate navigation and attack system allow the LCA to attack surface targets over land or at sea with precision.
Credit: YouTube screengrab
*The name of the first squadron of the Tejas LCA will be ‘Flying Daggers 45’. IAF plans to induct six aircraft this financial year and about eight in the next. All squadrons of Tejas will be made up of 20 planes, including four in reserve.
* The IAF wants future modified versions of Tejas to have Active Electrically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Unified Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite, and advanced beyond the vision range missiles. This upgraded version will cost between Rs 275 crore and Rs 300 crore.Yet another feature- mid air refuelling capability may only happen in the Tejas I A version, slated to come out in 2019.
Credit: YouTube screengrab
* Tejas will eventually replace the Mikoyan-Gurevich (MiG) 21, and will be used as a supplement to bigger fighter planes such as the Sukhoi Su 30 MKI
* The squadron will be based in Bengaluru for the first two years before it is moved to Sulur in Tamil Nadu.
Credit: tejas.gov.in
* While the idea to have an indigenous fighter aircraft was conceptualised in 1970s, the actual work started only in the 80s and the first flight took place in January 2001. The project often ran into rough weather and came in for criticism over the delay.
(With Agency Inputs)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Tejas")
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}