Thursday (September 19): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today flew in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) airport in Bengaluru, becoming the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA). Wearing a G suit, the minister buckled himself in the seat behind the pilot in the aircraft.
He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru.
A Defence Ministry official had said that this would boost the morale of officers who have been involved in the development of the “indigenously-made Tejas”.
About Tejas:
The Tejas is an indigenous light weight, multi role supersonic aircraft developed in both fighter and trainer versions.Advanced materials like composites are used in the manufacture of the Tejas to reduce weight and increase the component life.
Tejas is designed to carry a veritable plethora of air-to-air, air-to- surface, precision guided and standoff weaponry.
The IAF has already inducted a batch of Tejas aircraft. The naval version of the LCA is in development stage.
Last Friday in Goa, Tejas had successfully carried out an “arrested landing”, a key performance, demonstrating its ability to land on board an aircraft carrier, making it a major milestone in development of the naval variant of the fighter jet.
