Tejas Mk-1A Takes Maiden Flight From Nashik, Indigenous-Built Fighter Jet To Boost IAF's Capabilities After Formal Induction; WATCH

Nashik: The first Tejas-Mk1A fighter jet took its maiden flight in Maharashtra's Nashik on Friday. The fighter aircraft was produced at defence public sector unit (PSU) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) Nashik complex.

An LCA Tejas Mk 1A, HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft, and Su-30 MKI took flight at the inauguration of the third line of LCA Mark 1A and the second line of HTT-40 at the HAL facility in Nashik. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the event.

Apart from Nashik, LCA has two more facilities in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, the formal induction of LCA Tejas Mk-1A into the Indian Air Force will take place only after the completion of ongoing weapon and radar integration trials, reported The Times of India.

The LCA Tejas Mk-1A aircraft received a water salute ahead of its maiden flight. Notably, the HAL is pushing hard to meet the timelines for the delivery of the indigenous-built fighter jet.

The PSU is facing delays in receiving 99 GE F404 engines from the United States. The contract for the engines was signed in August 2021 for Rs 5,375 crore. So far, only four engines have been received.

The HAL received the first GE-F404 engine in March this year, and the second engine was received in July. GE has assured of supplying eight more engines by March next year. The US-based company also promised to deliver 20 engines annually from next year.

According to reports, the aircraft is likely to be integrated with an Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, an Israeli-origin ELTA ELM-2052 radar, and a fire-control system.

Initially, the HAL received an order to manufacture 83 LCA Tejas Mk-1A jets. These were to be delivered by 2028. In August this year, the Cabinet Committee on Security also approved an additional order of 97 Mk-1A jets.

Tejas Mk-1A jets will fill the gap after the MiG-21 fleet retired from the IAF in September this year.