India: HAL conducts maiden flight for advanced Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.

The first Light Combat AIrcraft in FOC standard (SP-21) took the skies for maiden flight on March 17. The test flight was conducted for 40 minutes. The flight, piloted by Air Cmde. KA Muthana (Retd), took-off from HAL Airport in Bengaluru at around 1230 hours.

The first Light Combat AIrcraft in FOC standard (SP-21) took the skies for maiden flight on March 17 (Picture source: HAL)

The FOC-standard Tejas is equipped with several advanced features such as Air-to-Air refueling, Beyond Visual Range missile system, etc. It imbibes a lot of manufacturing improvements which were based on the operational feedback of initial LCA fleet with IAF.

This flight signifies exemplary team work between various stakeholders of the LCA Tejas programme such as HAL, Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification, Indian Air Force and Aeronautical Development Agency, HAL CMD, R Madhavan said.

"HAL achieved the momentous feat within a record time of 12 months after release of Drawing Applicability List (DAL) and SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) by CEMILAC", the statement said.