• Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a sortie on the indigenously designed, developed and manufactured Tejas Twin Seat Light Combat Fighter aircraft on November 25.

• It was for the first time that an Indian Prime Minister undertook a fighter aircraft sortie, according to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

• The sortie was carried out from the Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment in Bengaluru. During the 30-minute sortie over the skies of Bengaluru the capabilities of Tejas were demonstrated to the Prime Minister.

• The PM inspected the production facilities of LCA Tejas aircraft at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in Bengaluru and was briefed about the technology-intensive work being done at the company towards realising the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Light Combat Aircraft Tejas

• Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is India’s first indigenous multi-role fighter aircraft designed and developed to meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force. It is a supersonic, light weight, all-weather aircraft designed for multiple combat roles. 

• The 4.5 generation aircraft has advanced avionics, glass cockpit, digital quadruplex fly-by-wire flight control system and large percentage of composite structures.

• The aircraft with delta wing is designed for ‘air combat’ and ‘offensive air support’ with ‘reconnaissance’ and ‘anti-ship’ as its secondary roles. Extensive use of advanced composites in the airframe gives a high strength to weight ratio, long fatigue life and low radar signatures.

• The IAF’s first LCA Tejas squadron, Number 45 the Flying Daggers, was raised in 2016.

• Currently, two squadrons of IAF, 45 Squadron and 18 Squadron, are fully operational with Tejas.

• The aircraft is capable of undertaking offensive air support roles as well as ground attach roles and is quite superior to its contemporaries.

• In the coming years, Tejas would be the largest fleet of fighter aircraft to be operated by the IAF.

• The LCA Tejas Twin Seat Combat Fighter aircraft is a light weight, all-weather, multi-role aircraft which can undertake all roles of a single seat Tejas fighter and can also be used as a fighter trainer. 

• This is the first time ever that an indigenous twin seat fighter has been designed, developed and manufactured in India. 

• With an amalgamation of contemporary concepts and technologies such as quadruplex fly-by-wire flight control, carefree manoeuvring, advanced glass cockpit, integrated digital avionics systems and advanced composite materials for the airframe, it is a state-of-the-art aircraft. The fighter aircraft has enhanced the defence capabilities and preparedness of the nation.

• The aircraft is presently powered by GE 404 engine which will get upgraded to GE 414 engine for LCA Mk2 which will be manufactured in India with 80 per cent Transfer of Technology arrangement with GE Engines for which the MoU has been signed with it. 

• An order worth Rs 36,468 crore for delivery of 83 LCA Mk1A aircraft has been placed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and delivery is scheduled to begin by February 2024. 

• More than Rs 9,000 crore have been sanctioned for the development of LCA Mk2, an updated and more lethal version of LCA Tejas. 

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is a premier aeronautical company of India. HAL, a Navratna Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSU), has 20 production divisions and 11 R&D centres spread across the country. 

• HAL, with its headquarters in Bengaluru, so far has indigenously designed and developed 17 types of aircrafts and helicopters. In addition, HAL has also produced 14 types of aircrafts and helicopters under license from foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). HAL has produced over 4,100 aircrafts and over 5100 aero-engines. 

• HAL is the principal partner in the LCA programme with Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) acting as the programme co-ordinator.

• LCA-Production Group (LCA-PG) was launched in 2002 at HAL as the designated manufacturing unit for manufacturing the indigenously designed 4.5 generation aircraft Tejas being designed by ADA.

• LCA PG was upgraded as a full fledged division of HAL and christened as LCA Tejas Division in Bengaluru Complex in April 2014.

• LCA-Tejas Division is the prime center for manufacturing of indigenously developed LCA Tejas aircraft. 

• The HAL has established two production lines of LCA Tejas at Bengaluru, which can produce up to 16 aircraft per year.

• In addition, a production line is being established at HAL, Nasik to take the production rate beyond 24 aircraft from 2024-25 onwards.

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