The incident will undoubtedly trigger questions about safety and airworthiness, but it comes after years in which Tejas, along with a clutch of defence programmes, quietly reshaped India’s defence capabilities and improved the country’s defence innovation standing.
The cutting-edge ILSS, designed to generate and regulate breathable oxygen for pilots, eliminates reliance on traditional liquid oxygen cylinder-based systems.
Light Combat Aircraft Mk-1A variant is an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured state-of-the-art modern 4+ generation fighter aircraft.
Earning the sobriquet - 'Defenders of Kashmir Valley,' the squadron was the first to land and operate from Srinagar.
The fighter jet, a twin-seater trainer aircraft, took off from the airport of defence public sector unit Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru for a 30-minute sortie at 9.58 am.
Grp Captain Karan Hajela IAF said, “A make in India testimony, LCA-Tejas is with us here at LIMA, 19. I am sure the aircraft would make heads turn and will make us feel proud.”
Tejas, built by the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), is a single-engine multirole light fighter.
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat became the first Chief of Staff of the Indian Army to fly the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) following a sortie over Bengaluru skies during the ongoing Aero India show.
