India to launch Light Combat Aircraft Tejas by 2010

NEW DELHI, June 8 (KUNA) -- In an effort to add firepower to its Air Force, Indias is developing -- Tejas-- a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), which is expected to be launched by 2010. LCA was in the final stages of testing and by 2010 it was expected to be launched, a source in the Indian Defene Ministry told KUNA here Sunday. After LCAs are launched, the MiG-21 fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) would be gradually phased out, the source added. Tejas is being developed by Indias Defence Research Development Organisation. Tejas underwent hot weather flight trials at Air Force Station in the Western Indian city of Nagpur recently, the source said, adding, the trials were planned at Nagpur because of the high ambient temperature conditions prevailing there during this period. The aim of the trials was to check operation of the aircraft systems under high ambient temperature conditions of over 40 deg C, representative of the stringent conditions the aircraft would be expected to operate in, after induction into the IAF.
"All aircraft systems, specifically the avionics system, flight control system and air conditioning system of Tejas were tested extensively during the trials and functioned satisfactorily on ground as well in flight," the source said, adding, a total of seven flights of four hours duration were flown at Nagpur on two prototype aircraft PV2 and PV3. The tests included flights at 200 meters above the ground with a speed up to 1000 km per hour.
"It was the first time that the Tejas flew a non-stop distance of about 1, 000 km from Southern Indian city of Bangalore to Nagpur. This was possible due to the presence of external fuel tanks on the aircraft which were integrated recently. This was also the first time that the Tejas aircraft had been flown at such high ambient temperature conditions. A first look at the test data indicated that all the trial objectives were met satisfactorily," the source informed. The successful completion of the trial marked a significant step towards attainment of all important initials operational clearance and subsequent induction into the squadron service with the IAF. Tejas is now planned for delivering precision guided bombs in the deserts of Western Indian state of Rajasthan, later this year.