LCAs ready to be cleared for IAF induction by January

SOURCE : Tehelka.com

India’s indigenous fighter jet light combat aircraft (LCA) – Tejas — which has been in the making for over 25 years now, is finally being readied for induction in the Indian Air Force (IAF). The initial operational clearance (IOC) is expected in early January.

Inching closer towards its induction, the fly-by-wire, multi-role supersonic aircraft, on Wednesday took to the skies to drop a bomb at the newly commissioned aeronautical test range at Chitradurga, some 200 km away from Bangalore.

“This was the last flight of the LCA before it gets an IOC,” an official of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media. “The IOC would pave the way for its induction into the IAF,” he added.

Only after the IOC, can a “weaponised” aircraft be handed over to the IAF for squadron duty. The IAF has placed orders for 20 LCAs.

In the run up to the clearance, Tejas has completed all test points for low level flights, off the coast of Goa. It has also conducted operations in the extreme climate of Leh and operated from an IAF airbase in the southwestern air command area.

“At first four aircraft will operate from Bangalore,” an IAF officer said. “If there are any teething problems, they could be rectified by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL),” the officer said.

The first LCA squadron would be raised in Sulur air base in Tamil Nadu. The current version of Tejas fighter is equipped with a single GE F404 afterburning turbofan engine developed by General Electric Co (GE).

The LCA programme was launched in 1983 primarily to replace the Russian vintage MiG-21 combat jets which had to be replaced by the 1990s. However, chronic delay in the LCA programme ensured that IAF could maintain only 33.5 squadrons instead its sanctioned strength of 39. This also delayed the phasing out of MiG-21s or “flying coffins”, as they are called, because of their poor safety record.

The IAF had also looked for foreign vendors to provide 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA).

The first prototype Tejas took off only in 2001, however, the inability of research bodies to provide engines with the right configuration failed to provide the requisite thrust.

The indigenous Kaveri engine has been under development since 1986 at the Bangalore-based Gas Turbine and Research Establishment (GTRE). According to estimates the Kaveri engine would be installed on the LCA only by 2012 and that, too, at a revised cost of Rs 2,839 crore, almost eight times the projected development cost of Rs 382 crore in 1989.

The delay also caused a cost escalation in the LCA project. The final cost of the project is Rs 5,777.56 crore against the initial cost of Rs 3301.78 crore.