Tejas Aircraft To Be Inducted
By Arnab Ghosh, Gaea News NetworkTuesday, January 11, 2011
BANGALORE, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The journey of the first indigenously developed and designed Light Combat Aircraft of India, Tejas edged ahead towards induction in IAF. Long delayed after it was conceived in the 1980s, the aircraft saw the light of the day after A.K. Antony, the Union Defence Minister handed over the mandatory ‘Certificate of Release to Service’ to P.V. Naik, the Air Chief Marshal. The IOC was hailed by the Union Defence Minister as a truly “historic occasion” and he also said that the Tejas is an advanced combat aircraft which will serve to make the air force better equipped to cope with global standards. The minister also congratulated the team of engineers and scientists for this achievement. He recalled that the IAF and the Defense ministry stood by the Tejas project even though a number of skeptics questioned its viability given the long delay and escalating cost in its implementation.
The Union Defense minister said in his speech that the country will require near about 200 models of Tejas aircraft. The first model will be sent to IAF by March 2011 and another two will come by the end of the year. IAF initially ordered a consignment of 20 aircrafts. The rest of the aircrafts will be delivered by the year 2013. However, it may take two years before the Final Operational Clearance comes and the DRDO is required to make improvements on certain counts.
The Tejas LCA driven by a single engine costs approximately INR 180 crore each piece. The trainer version of the aircraft with another seat costs INR 10 crore additionally. Ashok Nayak, the HAL chairman said that it can make 10 such aircrafts per year.
