Today, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi took to the skies in the Tejas Twin Seat Light Combat Fighter aircraft, which is entirely designed, developed, and manufactured in India. The sortie, a 30-minute demonstration of the fighter aircraft’s capabilities, was conducted from the Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment in Bengaluru. Notably, this marks the first instance of an Indian Prime Minister participating in a fighter aircraft sortie, an experience he described as memorable.
Highlighting his dedication to bolstering self-reliance in defense manufacturing, PM Modi lauded the scientists, engineers, and flight test crew involved in the creation of this cutting-edge fighter aircraft. He expressed immense pride in the skills and capabilities of Indian engineers and scientists.
The LCA trainer, a lightweight multirole aircraft, possesses all-weather capabilities and can perform various functions of a single-seat Tejas fighter while also serving as a fighter trainer. It stands as India’s first indigenous twin-seat fighter designed, developed, and manufactured within the country. Equipped with contemporary technologies like quadruplex fly-by-wire flight control, advanced glass cockpit, integrated digital avionics systems, and advanced composite materials for its airframe, the Tejas aircraft is a state-of-the-art piece of machinery significantly enhancing the nation’s defense capabilities and preparedness.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) test crew has been integral to the Tejas project from its conceptual stages through prototype testing. The initial version of the aircraft was inducted into the IAF in 2016, with the 45 Squadron and 18 Squadron currently operating fully functional LCA Tejas aircraft. An order valued at Rs 36,468 Crore has been placed with HAL for the delivery of 83 LCA Mk 1A aircraft, with deliveries set to commence by February 2024. HAL’s production capacity is being augmented to build 16 aircraft annually by 2025, and subsequently, increased to 24 aircraft every year over the next three years.
In a bid to enhance the aircraft’s capabilities further, over Rs 9000 Crore has been allocated for the development of LCA Mk 2, an upgraded and more lethal version of LCA Tejas. In a significant move towards promoting indigenization, negotiations for the Transfer of Technology with GE for manufacturing the GE engine in India were initiated during the Prime Minister’s visit to the US in June 2023.
With plans in place, Tejas is slated to become the largest fleet of fighter aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force in the coming years. PM Modi’s participation in today’s sortie is anticipated to boost the aeronautics ecosystem and significantly contribute to self-reliance in the defense sector.