Page 18 - ADT JANUARY 2021 Online Magazine

Entering with HAL. The DAC approval was granted for [ AIR SYSTEMS ]
HAL’s Technical & Commercial proposal first
submitted in March, 2018, in response to a
Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by Air Head
Quarters for manufacture and supply of 83 LCA
Mk-1As in December, 2017.
a New Era Nearing the Finish Line

The first LCA prototype Technology
Demonstrator 1 (TD-1) made its maiden flight
on January 4th, 2001. The LCA received the
name ‘Tejas’ in May 2003. Tejas is only the
second indigenously developed combat air-
HAL IS NEARING A FORMAL PRODUCTION craft to enter IAF service, after the HAL HF-24
CONTRACT FOR 83 TEJAS MK-1AS Marut, which was inducted into the IAF over
five decades ago. It was in 2015, that the IAF
had announced its requirement for 100 Tejas
Atul Chandra
Mk-1A jets and 73 Tejas Mk-1As and 10 twin-
seat combat capable trainer Mk-1 aircraft will
In what will be a major milestone for Indian aerospace industry, now equip five IAF fighter squadrons. The
the nation’s homegrown Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) in its IAF had originally planned to induct two Tejas
Mk-1A variant has received final procurement approval from the squadrons between 2012-2017 (12th plan
apex Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) led by Prime Minister period) and an additional six squadrons from
Narendra Modi. A contract with state-owned airframer Hindustan 2017-2022 (13th plan period). The air force also
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft has plans to base some of its Tejas Mk-1A jets
and 10 Tejas Mk-1 twin-seat trainers is now expected to be con- in the Andaman Nicobar Islands due to the
cluded at Aero India 2020, to be held in Bengaluru in February. ability of the type to undertake mid-air refu-
elling . The IAF’s ageing MiG-21 fleets will be
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) led by Defence Minister replaced by Tejas Mk-1As and the squadrons
Rajnath Singh accorded its approval for the deal in March 2020, that had phased out their MiG-27s will also be
after finalising various pending contractual and other related issues recapitalised with the indigenous type. Tejas,

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