2023-10-04 05:45 PM IST | Mumbai
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited handed over the first LCA Tejas twin-seater trainer version aircraft to IAF on Oct 04. MoS for Defence Ajay Bhatt, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari were present at the LCA Tejas division plant. This historic event mark the achievement of a key milestone of producing LCA Twin Seater. It is designed with a strategic intent of graduating budding pilots from the Twin Seater variants to fighter Pilots. HAL has an order of 18 twin seater from IAF and is planning to deliver eight twin seater in FY 2023-24. Further, 10 Light Combat Aircraft twin seaters would be delivered progressively by 2026-27. LCA-Tejas is the largest R-D program ever undertaken in India that made its maiden flight in 2001. It is going to be the backbone of the IAF fleet in years to come and is slated to be produced in high numbers. HAL has already received an order for 123 aircraft out of which 32 fighters have been supplied to IAF. This adds India to the list of elite countries that have created such capabilities in their Defence Forces. LCA Tejas is the best platform for India to be a flag bearer to achieve export targets set by the government.
