Bengaluru: The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas programme
is heading towards the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) phase scheduled to be
achieved by June this year. According to sources involved with the project,
Derby missile will be fired in a guided mode during the first quarter of the
year, clearing a key FOC parameter.
“In the air-to-air role, we have already
fired the R73 and it is the turn of Derby in guided mode now. In the air to ground
phase, different types of bombs have already been dropped and tested. There are
some software updates needed to fine tune the accuracy of these missions,” an
official told Mathrubhumi on Wednesday.
Interestingly, it was on January 4,
2001 LCA had its first flight with Wg Cdr Rajiv Kothiyal piloting the
Technology Demonstrator1. In the last 16 years, different platforms from the
test flight line have completed around 3300 flights.
“If you add up the
Squadron flights, the numbers will be more,” says the official. The Indian Air
Force (IAF) now operates three Tejas fighters from Bengaluru.
No major hiccups
in the programme
The official said that there are no major hiccups with
programmes and the FOC deadlines will now be met.
“Software upgradation might happen even after FOC. We have
already integrated the air to air refueling probe on LSP8 and it will soon
undertake trials. Flight envelope checks are being done to see any variations
in the aerodynamics performance,” says the official.
He said the engineers
wanted to ensure that there is absolutely no influence on the air data
parameters, post integration of the refueling probe.
“First dry runs will be
executed followed by wet fuel transfer. It is a complex mission,” adds the official.
The Russian gun (Gsh23) has already been integrated on LSP7 for the ground
butt firing trials at Nasik. This will be followed by flight trials in the
second quarter of the year.
The envelope expansion (8G) has already been
achieved at the Bahrain International Air Show last year. The Angle of Attack
(AoA) of 26 degrees has also been achieved, with the actual requirement being
24 degrees.
Tejas fly-past at RDay?
A fly-past by three Tejas formation is
likely this time during the RDay Parade in Delhi.
According to sources, the
IAF is mulling over the idea of moving away from convention of not flying
singleengine fighters during RDay Parade over Rajpath.
“Single engine
fighters did fly over Rajpath during RDay parade many decades ago, including
the Sea Harriers. This time there’s a thought process to fly the Tejas. A total
of five Tejas platforms are being readied, including two from the flight test
line as a standby. A final confirmation has to come from Air HQ,” says an
official with DRDO.
During the upcoming 11th Aero India from February 14 in
Bengaluru, Tejas will make its debut in Squadron colours. HAL is making all
efforts to add one more fighter (SP4) to the Squadron at the earliest.
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