First flight Tejas trainer for Indian Air Force
On 5 April 2023, the first production Tejas LCA-T Mk1, serial LT5201, took to the air for a 35 minute flight. This trainer is the first of eight aircraft that were ordered in the first batch of 40 Tejas LCA Mk.1 fighter aircraft, consisting of 32 single seat and 8 dual seat.
The Bharatiya Vayu Sena (IAF, Indian Air Force) operates the Tejas LCA Mk1 with 45 Squadron Flying Daggers at Sulur Air Force Station (state of Tamil Nadu) and 18 Squadron Flying Bullets at Srinagar Air Force Station (state of Jammu and Kashmir). The eight LCA-T Mk1s will most probably be equally divided over the two squadrons.
On 13 January 2021, India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the procurement of the 83 HAL Tejas LCA Mk1A for the air force. The contract, valued at USD 6.4 billion, is for 73 Tejas LCA Mk1A and 10 Tejas LCA-T Mk1A trainer aircraft, and includes also infrastructure development. The approval on infrastructure development is to enable the air force to handle repairs or servicing at their base depot so that the turnaround time would get reduced for mission critical systems and would lead to increased availability of aircraft for operational exploitation. This would enable the IAF to sustain the fleet more efficiently and effectively due to availability of repair infrastructure at these respective air bases. The Tejas LCA Mk1A will equip four squadrons.
On 7 April 2023, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, inaugurated the third Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) production line at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's Nashik Division. The new production line will enable HAL to enhance the Tejas LCA Mk1A production capacity from 16 to 24 aircraft per year. The other Tejas two production lines are located HAL's Bengaluru Division.
Photo by Gauraviation