DRDO launches Naval Tejas Fighter with Israeli and Russian Missiles.

Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is the Programme Management Agency for design & development of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) – Tejas. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is the design partner and production agency and manufacturing facilities have been established by HAL.

LCA Navy (Picture source: DRDO Twitter account)

In a tweet, the DRDO announced it had launched the aircraft with two beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and two close-combat missiles from its land-based testing facility. The DRDO's official Twitter handle informed, "One more step in launch capability expansion for LCA Navy. Two BVR plus Two CCM missiles.”

Tejas Mk1 aircraft has attained Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) on 20th December 2013 on completion of required performance trials and all 16 fighter aircraft against IOC order have been manufactured by HAL. Subsequently, Final Operational Clearance (FOC) was attained by ADA on 20th February 2019 and production activities of FOC configuration have commenced at HAL.

Indian Air Force LCA Squadron “Flying Daggers” is operational since 1st July 2016, with the induction of IOC aircraft.

In April last year, a Tejas fighter successfully tested a Derby missile and recently, the naval Tejas achieved its first night-time arrested landing at the shore-based test facility, two months after the first successful arrested landing. Arrested landings are an essential part of aircraft carrier operations.

Tejas Mk-II preliminary design of the aircraft has been finalized. However, the same is in the initial development stage. Induction & production can commence only after successful development & test flight.

HAL Hyderabad is an Avionics Division, and avionics related to HAL-manufactured platforms including LCA are manufactured at this facility.

This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Naik in a written reply to Dr Banda Prakash in Rajya Sabha today.