HAL's LCA Tejas Fighters Weaponization to Begin from April 2007
Dated 5/2/2007
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India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is poised for weaponisation in April, said Dr. PS Subramanyam, Director of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Programme Director for LCA.
The world's lightest fighter aircraft with state-of-the-art technology would give an impetus to the Indian Air Force in replacing ageing MIGs.
Dr. Subramanyam said the Tejas has evolved from flying stages to combat stages, adding that its weaponisation would prove its tactical capabilities.
"The weaponisation of LCA is a milestone in proving the world Indian capabilities of building a fighter aircraft. This would also take Indian into a league of select nations," Dr. Subramanyam told ANI in an exclusive interview.
According to Dr. Subramanyam, over 200 aircrafts are likely to be built with the help of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to be inducted into the Indian Air Force by 2008.
"The Indigenously built Indian Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, which took to skies in 2001, has now five aircrafts and has already received an order of one squadron of twenty aircrafts by the Indian air force. In fact, weaponisation is a very crucial and complicated process in a combat aircraft," Dr. Subramanyam said.
Dr Subramanyam is also hopeful of joint efforts by private companies across the globe to market this fourth generation fighter aircraft.
