New Delhi: The Indian Air Force, which is looking to ramp up its defence mechanism, will induct new variants of the Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' from February next, and these fresh lot of 'made in India' fighter jets will come with a mix of potent technologies and weapon systems. The new variant, called the LCA Mk1A, is an upgraded version of the currently in-service Tejas fighter planes that complete seven years of service in the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday.
The IAF placed an order for 83 of the LCA Mk1A variants in a Rs 48,000-crore contract signed with the local state-run aircraft manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), in February 2021 during the AeroIndia show in Bengaluru. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had in January 2021 approved the procurement of 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 Trainer aircraft at a cost of Rs 45,696 crore along with Design and Development and Infrastructure sanctions worth Rs 1,202 crore.
The IAF currently has two variants of the Tejas aircraft in two squadrons -- the 45 Squadron and the 18 Squadron -- based in Sulur, near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, according to IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Ashish Moghe. The two variants are 20 of the Initial Operational Clearance variant and 20 more Final Operational Clearance variants. The two variants were accepted for inducted by the IAF to enable further growth and development of the combat aviation capabilities in HAL.
The IAF is now fully committed and invested in the LCA project, with the order for the Tejas Mk1A jets, which will come with updated Avionics and Electronic Warfare Suite, as well as an Active Electronically Steered Radar, and a Beyond Visual Range missile capability. The new variant will be capable of firing a plethora of weapons from increased stand-off ranges. Many of these weapons will be of indigenous origin. The LCA MK-1A will see a substantial increase in the overall indigenous content of the aircraft.
Claimed to be a 4.5-generation combat jet, Tejas has been designed to undertake Air Defence, Maritime Reconnaissance, and Strike roles. "The inherently unstable Tejas offers carefree handling and enhanced manoeuvrability. This capability is further enhanced with its Multi-Mode Airborne Radar, Helmet Mounted Display, Self-Protection Suite, and Laser Designation Pod," the IAF said about the aircraft.
The IAF has showcased India's indigenous aerospace capabilities by displaying the Tejas aircraft at various international events, including LIMA-2019 at Malaysia, Dubai Air Show-2021, Sri Lanka Air Force anniversary celebrations in 2021, Singapore Air Show-2022 and Aero India show from 2017 to 2023. The LCA has participated in several bilateral and multilateral air exercises with foreign air forces domestically, but Exercise Desert Flag in the United Arab Emirates in March 2023 was the aircraft's maiden exercise on foreign soil.
However, the IAF has sought a full upgrade of the LCA's capabilities in an entirely new variant, called Tejas Mk2, which shall be the final outcome of the Defence Research and Development Organisation's Aeronautical Development Agency project of the last 40 years, as the LCA project was sanctioned by the Indian government in August 1983.
The Tejas Mk2 project was finally fully approved with an additional allocation of Rs 6,500 crore by the CCS in August 2022, after completion of the Critical Design Review done in November 2021. Once the Tejas Mk2 variant is fully operational, the IAF plans to induct at least 180 of these aircraft in 10 squadrons, ensuring a critical role for the indigenous combat jets in the future squadron strength of the air force.
Celebrating seven years of service in the Indian Air Force on 1st July 2023, the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), known as Tejas, has emerged as a formidable force in its class. Purpose-built for air defense, maritime reconnaissance, and strike missions, Tejas combines unrivaled agility with carefree handling, making it an exceptional multi-role platform. Equipped with state-of-the-art features such as the Multi-Mode Airborne radar, Helmet Mounted Display, Self-protection suite, and Laser Designation Pod, Tejas demonstrates India’s prowess in aerospace technology.
