The SP-10 aircraft was rolled out from HAL’s LCA production line

The 10th series production (SP) aircraft of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas made its maiden flight on Thursday in Bangalore. The maiden flight lasted for more than 30 minutes and the aircraft was flown by a pilot from the National Flight Test Centre. HAL sources confirmed that the sortie was a smooth one. The SP-10 aircraft was rolled out from HAL’s LCA production line and the defence PSU will now follow it up by rolling out three more production series of aircraft. To speed up the production of the aircraft from 8 to 15 per year, HAL has readied a second assembly line which was earlier used to manufacture Hawk trainer aircraft. 

HAL has received a Request for Proposal (RFP) to supply of 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Acquisitions Council has also cleared acquisition of 83 LCA for Indian Air Force (IAF) and the production is planned from 2019-2020. The production of these 83 aircraft will start after the completion of the 20 Final Operational Clearance (FOC) standard LCA aircraft. 

The long-delayed FOC is slated to take place by the end of 2018 having missed its June deadline. The FOC aircraft would incorporate Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, improved and better stand-off weapons and air to air refueling capability. The 45 Squadron of the IAF “The Flying Daggers” which was the first squadron to be equipped with LCA-Tejas moved last month from Bengaluru to its permanent location at Sulur, near Coimbatore. 

The LCA project is one of the most delayed indigenous defence projects in the country. The Ministry of Defence had initiated the project way back 1980’s to replace the ageing MiG-21’s. However, it has been delayed for several years and only in July 2016 Tejas was inducted in the IAF.