• Source:JND
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Indigenously developed aircraft, Tejas LCA Mk 1 A completed its first public sortie at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) Nashik Division in the presence of Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh.  The Defence Minister also inaugurated the third production line of the LCA Mk1A, and the second production line of the Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40), which is an indigenous Basic Trainer Aircraft designed and developed by HAL for the IAF.

Speaking at the event, the Defence Minister said, "I congratulate everyone at HAL Nashik. Nashik has become a symbol of faith, devotion, self-reliance, and capability. HAL here represents the nation's defence strength. When I saw the SU-30 CLA and HTT-40 take off today, my chest swelled with pride. Their flight exemplifies self-reliance in the defence sector. HAL has served as a strong pillar for India for over 60 years." 

Rajnath Singh also inaugurated the third production line for the LCA Mk1A, which is set to give a major boost to the production capacity of the state-run PSU to nearly 24 aircraft per annum. Singh also unveiled the second production line of the Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40), an indigenous Basic Trainer Aircraft designed and developed by HAL for the Indian Air Force (IAF). 

The Indian Air Force is set to procure nearly 180 aircraft as part of two major deals inked with state-run defence PSU, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. A contract for 83 Tejas Mk1A aircraft was signed in February 2021 for Rs 48,000 crore. A new contract for 97 additional Tejas Mk1A jets was approved by the government for Rs 62,000 crore. 

The initial order of 83 Tejas Mk1A aircraft is expected to be completed by 2029, while the order of 97 additional aircraft is expected to be completed by 2034. The defence PSU said that the fist batch of Tejas LCA Mk1 A is expected to roll out from 2025-26.

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Tejas MK 1 A: Features

A Gen-4.5 aircraft, the Tejas comes equipped with the following features:

- Tejas is an omnirole lightweight aircraft with a cumulative weight of 6,560 kg, thereby making it adept to take off from shorter runways. There are two variants of the Tejas: the Twin-seater (trainer) and the single-seater (operations).

- The Tejas comes equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar (Israeli Elta EL/M-2052 model), which helps it in superior target tracking and engagement capabilities. The new squadron of Tejas will come out with an indigenous design Uttam AESA radars.

- The Tejas is powered by the GE F404-GE-IN20 turbofan engine, which gives it a Mach 1.8 speed and a range of over 3,000 km. It can also perform high-g manoeuvres with vertical takeoffs and landings like a helicopter.

- The fighter aircraft comes loaded with surface-to-air, air-to-air, precision-guided missiles, along with a 23 mm twin-barrel cannon.

- The Tejas comes with modern avionics like a digital cockpit, fly-by-wire controls, and an integrated system that gives pilots better awareness and helps them make quick decisions.

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- With a composite structure, radar-absorbing materials and a reduced radar cross-section area, the Tejas comes loaded with several new stealth features that make it difficult to detect by radar.

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