ID :
26679
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 19:26
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Tejas will be part of I.A.F. inventory by 2011: Antony

Bangalore, Oct 25 (PTI) Dispelling doubts over the viability of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (L.C.A.), India Saturday said the project was very much on track and there was no question of abandoning the programme, which would be completed by 2011.

"I can tell you with all confidence by end of 2010, the
L.C.A. is expected to get its full operational clearance and
by 2011, I am sure Indian Air Force (I.A.F.) will be able to
get the first delivery of the aircraft," Defence Minister A.K.
Antony told reporters here, after reviewing the performance of
the blue-chip Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (H.A.L.).

"There is no question of abandoning of the L.C.A.
project," Antony said, promising that the I.A.F. would get a
total of 70 Tejas for its proposed seven squadrons.

Noting that Defence Research Development Organisation's
(D.R.D.O.) Aeronautical Development agency-designed L.C.A.
project was being hotly debated along with the Arjun Main
Battle Tank for the delays in design and development, the
Defence Minister said despite the delay of over 26 years --
the project was launched in 1982 -- L.C.A. was at last
becoming a reality. "It is a success," he said defending
the L.C.A. project.

"I have discussed the L.C.A.'s progress with the
officials of H.A.L., I.A.F. and from the Defence Ministry and
they are all happy with its functioning," he added.

He said initially, the I.A.F. would get delivery of 20
L.C.A.s for one of its two squadrons to be raised by 2011 and
as a follow-on order, the I.A.F. would raise five more
squadrons. In all probability, the first two squadrons would
be based in Sulur air base near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

The first lot of Tejas would be fitted with the
F404-GE-F2J3 after burning turbofan engine, Antony said adding
that the I.A.F. was looking for a more powerful engine and it
was working alongside D.R.D.O. for design and development of a
new engine.

I.A.F. chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, who was
present on the occasion, said once India chooses the new
engine, the future lot of Tejas would be fitted with it.

Evading a query on if the search for the new engine would
mean the death of the GTRE GTX-35VS 'Kaveri' engine being
developed for Tejas, Antony said "The I.A.F. and D.R.D.O.
would work on the new engine and things were moving very fast
in this direction."

The search for the new engine would go on simultaneously
with the induction of the first lot of Tejas, he said adding
the present engine from the U.S. would be used for the first
two I.A.F. squadrons of the L.C.A.

Interestingly, H.A.L. was to display the L.C.A.'s flying
capabilities for the benefit of Antony during the review, but
could only taxi it around its airstrip due to heavy rains
lashing the venue.

Antony also refused to comment on the delays in the
delivery schedule of the Hawks Advanced Jet Trainers to the
I.A.F. by H.A.L., which has delivered only one of the aircraft
till date, though it was scheduled to deliver about a dozen by
September.

India had signed for 66 BAE Systems' Hawks in March 2004
after expressing interest over 20 years ago and the first set
of Hawks delivered from U.K. were inducted into the I.A.F. at
Bidar airbase for training new recruits into frontline pilots
and graduating to supersonic fighter aircraft from the
existing subsonic Kiran MkII trainers. PTI

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