Historic Flight: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Soars in Indigenous Tejas Fighter Aircraft
In a groundbreaking moment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the pilot’s seat in the Tejas Twin Seat Light Combat Fighter aircraft, a marvel designed, developed, and manufactured indigenously. The historic flight, conducted from the Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment in Bengaluru, marked the first time an Indian Prime Minister has taken control of a fighter aircraft.
During the 30-minute sortie, the Prime Minister experienced firsthand the capabilities of the Tejas fighter aircraft. Describing the experience as memorable, PM Modi expressed immense pride in the prowess of Indian scientists and engineers, acknowledging their integral role in advancing the nation’s defense capabilities.
The LCA trainer, a lightweight, all-weather, multirole aircraft, showcased its versatility during the sortie, capable of undertaking various roles as a single-seat Tejas fighter and serving as a fighter trainer. This twin-seat fighter represents a significant achievement as the first-ever indigenous design and production of such an aircraft in India.
Equipped with cutting-edge features like quadruplex fly-by-wire flight control, carefree maneuvering, advanced glass cockpit, integrated digital avionics systems, and the use of advanced composite materials for the airframe, the Tejas fighter stands as a testament to Indian aeronautical innovation.
The involvement of the Indian Air Force (IAF) test crew from the conceptual stage to prototype testing underscores the collaborative effort in the Tejas project. Since its induction into the IAF in 2016, two fully operational squadrons, 45 Squadron and 18 Squadron, have been equipped with LCA Tejas.
A substantial order of Rs 36,468 Crore has been placed with HAL for the delivery of 83 LCA Mk 1A aircraft, with scheduled deliveries commencing by February 2024. The current annual production capacity of 8 LCA aircraft is set to increase to 16 by 2025 and further to 24 annually within the next three years.
In an endeavor to promote indigenization, over Rs 9000 Crore has been allocated for the development of LCA Mk 2, an upgraded and more lethal version of LCA Tejas. Additionally, efforts to enhance self-reliance in aircraft engine production include the Transfer of Technology agreement with GE, negotiated during the Prime Minister’s visit to the US in June 2023.
The Tejas fleet is poised to become the largest operated by the Indian Air Force, further bolstering the nation’s aeronautics ecosystem and providing a significant impetus to self-reliance in the defense sector. Prime Minister Modi’s historic sortie symbolizes India’s achievements in advanced aeronautics and reinforces the commitment to Aatmanirbharta in the defense manufacturing domain.
