The first Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) in the “FOC” or a level fit for battle flew for the first time here on Tuesday.
The 40-minute sortie took off at the HAL airport at 12.30 p.m. and was flown by Chief Test Pilot (fixed wing) Air Cmde K. A. Muthanna (retd).
State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which manufactures the indigenous fighters for the Indian Air Force (IAF), said, “This would pave the way for the production of the remaining 15 fighters from the FOC block which are planned to be delivered during the next financial year [that is, 2020-21.]”
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The fighter received the FOC or the final operational clearance in February 2019, signifying that the Indian designer — the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) — has developed it to the level where the plane is good to be used in a combat.
FOC-standard LCAs have advanced capabilities such as air-to-air refuelling and a missile system that is beyond visual range (BVR), among others.
HAL said it achieved the feat in a record 12 months at its two LCA assembly lines in Bengaluru after receiving the drawings and protocols from the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification under the DRDO.
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HAL’s Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) R. Madhavan was cited as saying, “This flight signifies exemplary team work among various stakeholders of the LCA Tejas programme such as HAL, the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance, CEMILAC, IAF and ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency).”
ADA is the DRDO’s special purpose arm, which has designed and developed the LCA as a modern generation-4 fighter for the IAF.
HAL is making the planes in two batches of 16 each — FOC standard and the previous version called the IOC (initial operational clearance). It is also due to produce eight more of the LCAs — four two-seater trainers in each version.
