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Tejas Mk-1A is India’s first indigenously developed fighter jet with numerous critical capabilities. It received the final clearance for operation and induction in the Indian Air Force in February 2019. It is a product of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. It was produced under the LCA or “Light Combat Aircraft” programme established in 1983 by the Government of India. Tejas delivery to IAF intended to replace the old and ageing IAF fighters, especially the MiG-21 variants. However, it would no longer be inducted as a replacement for the MiG-21 aircraft but as a part of IAF modernisation.

Development of Tejas

  • The government launched the LCA programme in 1983 to create lightweight combat aircraft as a replacement for the ageing aircraft in the Indian Air Force. 
  • In 1984, ADA or Aeronautical Development Agency, was established by the Government of India under the Defence Research and Development Organisation to manage the LCA programme and design the aircraft, while HAL was the principal contractor.
  • In 1990, the design of the Tejas was finalised after consulting France’s Dassault-Breguet by the Chief Designer and Programme Director of Tejas, Kota Harinarayana.
  • In 1992, the National Control Law team (CLAW) was established by the National Aerospace Laboratories to develop India’s latest fly-by-wire or FBW flight control system for the first LCA jet.
  • On January 4, 2001, Wing Commander Rajiv Kothiyal took the maiden flight of India’s first self-made fighter jet, Technology Demonstrator or TD-1
  • In 2003, the prototype aircraft, PV-1 (prototype vehicle), had its maiden flight, and the LCA was officially renamed “Tejas” by the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
  • After designing and testing several prototypes, it received its initial operational clearance in January 2011 and final operational clearance in 2019.
  • Tejas delivery to IAF for the Mk-1A variant will be conducted in March 2024.

The Features and Capabilities of Tejas:

  • India’s first self-made fully weaponized fighter plane and the first Tejas delivery to IAF for operation occurred in 2016.
  • It is a light multirole, single-engine, delta wing, weaponized fighter plane and is the second supersonic fighter plane developed by HAL.
  • The Tejas Mark 1A (Mk-1A) is the most improved variety yet and is expected to begin production by 2024
  • The Mk-1A variant of Tejas can carry air-to-surface missiles, laser-guided bombs beyond visual range (BVR), air-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles and the Israeli Derby BVR missile.
  • Tejas aircraft can carry an array of modern weapons similar to those loaded onto bigger warplanes. For example, precision-guided and standoff weaponry to long-range beyond visual range missiles that can take down target planes from a safe distance.
  • This aircraft is a fourth-generation fighter capable of operations such as Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, an Electronic Warfare (EW) suite, Air to Air Refuelling (AAR) and consists of a network warfare system comprising Software Defined Radio (SDR).
  • The Tejas aircraft, as of recently, has three production models – Tejas Mark 1, Mark 1A and trainer variant.

How many LCA Tejas does India have?

After a great delay in Tejas delivery to IAF, 83 Tejas Mk-1A and 40 Tejas Mark 1 aircraft have been ordered to be delivered from 2024 between 8-9 years. The initial contract was signed in March 2006 for 20 aircraft, fulfilled with 16 aircraft on July 1, 2016. The second contract for another 20 aircraft was signed in December 2010 and was fulfilled with 24 aircraft in May 2020. HAL plans to ramp up the production rate to 16 aircraft per year to fulfil its contract. Also, the Mk-2 variant is already under development, along with Tejas’s naval variant for the Navy.

The first squadron- No. 45 Squadron IAF (flying daggers), consisting of 20 Tejas aircraft, became operational in July 2016, the contract for which was signed in 2006. It is based at Air Force Station, Sulur. The second squadron consisting of another 20 Tejas (Mark 1), No. 18 Squadron, for which the contract was signed in December 2010, became operational on May 27 2020.

Conclusion

Despite a few setbacks and delays in the project, the Tejas program has been a success for the IAF. As the DRDO Chief Dr G Satheesh Reddy mentioned, a few nations have accomplished designing and manufacturing their fighter planes; India is one of them. After waiting for four decades, India has finally strengthened its Army by integrating Tejas into the Indian Air Force. This, however, will also depend upon factors like Tejas delivery to IAF, how many LCA Tejas India has or how many Tejas are in service. Regardless, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh mentioned that this deal could be a game-changer for self-reliance in Indian defence manufacturing.