India's fighter jet will be reality at last: Antony

[EjazR]

India's fighter jet will be reality at last: Antony | TwoCircles.net

By IANS,

Bangalore: The indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas would be a reality at last and will soon join the Indian Air Force (IAF), Defence Minister A.K. Antony said here Tuesday.

"I can declare that LCA is going to be a reality, at last. I can tell you with confidence that by December 2010, the initial operational clearance is going to take place and the final operational clearance by the end of 2012," Antony told reporters.

Scoffing at skeptics for writing off the ambitious project as a total failure, Antony said he was convinced of the multi-role supersonic aircraft after witnessing a flying display of its first version of the limited series production, its fifth prototype (PV-V) and its trainer variant earlier in the day.

"Today is a historic day, as the LCA achieved a milestone with a spectacular performance of its variants. I know the project has still to go a long way. When I took over three years ago, there was skepticism about its success. It has completed trials in all weather conditions with over 1,000 sorties," Antony noted.

The state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has already started the limited series production to deliver eight Tejas fighters to the Indian Air Force, which has placed an order for 20 aircraft (one squadron).

"The defence acquisition council (DAC) has cleared another 20 for the IAF. Very soon, we will take it to the cabinet for final clearance. In the years to come, we will be able to induct more squadrons of LCA," Antony said.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has recently cleared Rs.8,000 crore (Rs.80 billion) for further development of the LCA's air version, navy version and a new engine, as the prototypes and the eight aircraft under production use GE-404 engines.

"At last, India can also be proud that we will also have our own fighter aircraft. Everybody is convinced of the LCA success. I extend my total support to the LCA team," Antony added.

According to the state-run Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which designed and developed the LCA with HAL as its principal partner, Tejas is the smallest, lightest, multirole supersonic fourth generation aircraft in the world.

"The LCA is in the critical phase of weapon carriage and release and flight envelope expansion towards initial operational clearance. It is expected to be inducted into IAF by 2014," an ADA official told IANS on the margins of the event.

 

[deckingraj]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Kewl...Come 2012 and all the hue and cry about tejas being a failure will come to rest...Qudos to India though i would wait till it gets inducted to open my champagne

 

[Hulk]

Whenever you try to create something which you have not done before, people will doubt and make fun of you. If you continue with dedication success will be yours. Kudos to DRDO, I am waiting for IOC and then FOC. Take my words with everyday we are moving closer to self reliance, MCA will hugely benefit from LCA. Brick by Brick wall by wall we will create the defense industry we need.

 

[RPK]

Tejas for IAF by yearend-Asian Age

Bengaluru, Feb. 2: The Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project is on the home stretch. India’s first indigenous supersonic, multi-role fighter is now a "reality", defence minister A.K. Antony declared on Tuesday, virtually putting a stamp of approval on the aircraft by saying that "it will certainly get the initial operational clearance (IOC) by the end of 2010."

Upon achieving IOC, the Indian Air Force, which has ordered 20 Tejas fighters and is expected to ask for 20 more soon, will establish a squadron of these at an airbase in Tamil Nadu. The final operational clearance is expected by end-2012, after which Tejas will spread its wings across the country.

"It’s a historic day," Mr Antony said soon after the LCA flew a demonstration flight. "Serious doubts were raised about Tejas. Three years ago, there were demands to abandon it. The Doubting Thomases have been proved wrong. Now I can proudly say we will fly our own fighters."

The IAF could be flying a squadron of Tejas Light Combat Aircraft by the end of the year.

In January, the Cabinet Committee on Security allocated Rs 8,000 crores for production of the Air Force version of the LCA and for the development of the naval version and the trainer, clearly indicating that there was now no doubt at the highest decision-making levels about the success of the project. Tejas, long criticised as being too late, too expensive, was first conceived some 27 years ago, began as a technology demonstrator project in 1993 and was subsequently cleared for development as a multi-role fighter in 2001.

 

[Trichy]

Tejas for IAF by yearend-Asian Age

Bengaluru, Feb. 2: The Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project is on the home stretch. India’s first indigenous supersonic, multi-role fighter is now a "reality", defence minister A.K. Antony declared on Tuesday, virtually putting a stamp of approval on the aircraft by saying that "it will certainly get the initial operational clearance (IOC) by the end of 2010."

Upon achieving IOC, the Indian Air Force, which has ordered 20 Tejas fighters and is expected to ask for 20 more soon, will establish a squadron of these at an airbase in Tamil Nadu. The final operational clearance is expected by end-2012, after which Tejas will spread its wings across the country.

"It’s a historic day," Mr Antony said soon after the LCA flew a demonstration flight. "Serious doubts were raised about Tejas. Three years ago, there were demands to abandon it. The Doubting Thomases have been proved wrong. Now I can proudly say we will fly our own fighters."

The IAF could be flying a squadron of Tejas Light Combat Aircraft by the end of the year.

In January, the Cabinet Committee on Security allocated Rs 8,000 crores for production of the Air Force version of the LCA and for the development of the naval version and the trainer, clearly indicating that there was now no doubt at the highest decision-making levels about the success of the project. Tejas, long criticised as being too late, too expensive, was first conceived some 27 years ago, began as a technology demonstrator project in 1993 and was subsequently cleared for development as a multi-role fighter in 2001.

Coimbatore is the First Base for HF-Tejas in India... Im Proud form this!!!

 

[hindustan]

such a good news

lets wait

 

[Dark Angel]

HAL To Build Advanced LCA Tejas Mark 2



India will build a more powerful version of its indigenously developed light combat aircraft for sale to the air force as the country seeks to reduce dependence on imports from Russian and European planemakers.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., the state company that builds the aircraft named Tejas, will begin work on the 'LCA Mark 2' soon, Chairman Ashok K. Baweja said in Bangalore yesterday. India's air force will take delivery of the first version of the Tejas for its fleet next year, Baweja said.

Hindustan Aeronautics will modify the plane's fuselage and equip it with a more powerful engine to make the jet more appealing to the Indian Air Force, which has traditionally relied on Russian MiGs and Sukhoi fighter jets. India imports 70 percent of its arms requirements and needs to boost local production, Defense Minister A.K. Antony said.

The state company will produce 40 units of the light combat plane before production of the Mark 2 starts, Baweja said. The country is also developing a twin-engine medium combat aircraft and an unmanned combat aerial vehicle, M. Natarajan, scientific adviser to India's defense minister, said in Bangalore today. "We are confident of implementing them in two decades," he added.

 

[gowthamraj]

Coimbatore is the First Base for HF-Tejas in India... Im Proud form this!!!

i am also. . that air base is not too long from my house

 

[mrwarrior006]

has kaveri engine finished?

 

[navtrek]

has kaveri engine finished?

No but even that will be finished with some assistance from Snecma

 

[Hulk]

I am very happy about the news, time to dance and sing. By the way I heard our radar is still not ready and probably LCA MK1 will be flying with Israeli radar EL/M 2052. We will still need to get our indigenous radar and then AESA, but you take one step at a time. It is important that we have LCA ready and later we slowly get some of this missing components made at home.

 

[ebungo]

definitely good news .

 

[jagjitnatt]

Good news. I never lost hope in LCA. Now just waiting to see 100s of LCA in the blue skies.