The Indian Air Force’s Tejas fighter jet crashed during an aerial display at the air show in Dubai on Friday evening. A video from the crash showed the fighter jet going down mid-flight and exploding into a ball of fire. Unfortunately, the pilot was killed in the crash.
Visuals showed black smoke rising over Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central as a crowd of spectators watched and sirens sounded after the crash.
IAF Issues Statement
In an official statement after the crash, IAF said, "An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief. A court of inquiry is being constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident."
Specifications Of Tejas
Tejas is a single-seater fighter aircraft, although the Air Force and Indian Navy also operate a twin-seat trainer variant. The LCA Tejas is a 4.5-generation, all-weather, multi-role fighter aircraft built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The IAF fighter jet has a maximum payload capacity of 4,000 kg, operating as a single-pilot, single-engine aircraft. It operates with a maximum takeoff weight of 13,300 kg.
The fighter jet is designed to efficiently handle offensive air missions, replacing the retired MiG-21 fleet, for close combat and ground-attack operations. The aircraft is also capable of performing maritime missions.
Dimensions & Specifications Of Tejas
Length: 13.2 metres
Wingspan: 8.2 metres
Height: 4.4 metres
Maximum Take-off Weight: 13,500 kg
Engine: GE F404-IN20
Engine Thrust (A/B): 85 kN
G-limit: +8g / -3.5g
Maximum Speed: Mach 1.6
Service Ceiling: 50,000 feet
Number of Hardpoints: 09
Second Tejas Crash
The Dubai Airshow Tejas crash is the second-ever crash of the fighter jet. In March 2024, a Tejas fighter had crashed in a compound of a student hostel in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer during a training sortie. At that time, the pilot had ejected safely.
