NewIndpress

Bangalore, Sep 8: Indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas project on Friday achieved a major milestone taking it closer to initial operational clearance for induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Tejas Prototype Vehicle (PV-1) made a successful first flight with two 800 litre drop tanks slung under the wing stations.

The flight is significant on several counts. “This is the first time Tejas carried any stores other than the air-to-air missiles which are part of its operational clean configuration,” said a release from Aeronatical Development Agency (ADA), a Bangalore-based DRDO lab.

The flight also proved the functionalities of the on-board Stores Management System (SMS) as well as the Control Law (CLAW) of the Integrated Digital Fly-by-wire Control System in the `Heavy stores' mode. Accordingly, Friday's flight achieved a significant milestone for the programme, taking it closer to operational clearance for induction into service.

Tejas PV1 was flown by the National Flight Test Centre Test Pilot, Wg Cdr N Tiwari and the Test Director for flight was Wg Cdr M Prabhu. A Jaguar trainer aircraft of ASTE Air Force flown by Wg Cdr RR Tyagi and Sqn Ldr Sangwan escorted this landmark flight.

The flight lasted for about 45 minutes during which the mobile telemetry developed by the National Flight Test Centre for out station flight trials was also checked out.

Tejas is expected to get the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) by 2010 and the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) a year later. In all probabilities, the fighter will be inducted into the air force by 2015.