LCA Tejas MK-1A completed its first flight in Bengaluru
Team Current Hunt
LCA Tejas MK-1A completed its first flight in Bengaluru.
On March 29, the first Tejas MK-1A aircraft took its maiden flight from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility in Bengaluru, and the country can expect its early induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Following the contract received in February 2021, HAL achieved this significant production milestone with concurrent design and development amid major supply chain challenges in the global geopolitical environment.
Group Captain KK Venugopal (Retd), chief test pilot of HAL, flew the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) MK-1A for 18 minutes.
In February 2021, the IAF ordered 83 Mk-1A fighters for Rs 48,000 crore. At a cost of around Rs 67,000 crore, IAF plans to buy 97 more Mk-1A.
By March 31, the first aircraft was to be delivered to the Indian Air Force, but it has been delayed as some key certifications are still pending, as first reported by HT on March 25.
Tejas MK-1A will have advanced electronic radar, better combat capabilities, and better maintenance facilities.
The LCA Mk-1A is an upgraded version of the LCA Mk-1, which is already inducted by the IAF.
The world’s fourth largest air force, the IAF, is expected to operate around 350 LCAs (Mk-1, Mk-1A, and Mk-2 variants), of which a third has already been ordered.
In October 2023, HAL handed over the first trainer version of LCA Mk-1 to the IAF in Bengaluru.
