नवीनतम
Tejas MK-1A Jet takes maiden flight
NASHIK [Maha Media]: India's defence prowess took a major leap on Friday as the nation witnessed the maiden flight of the indigenous Tejas MK-1A fighter jet from Nashik. During the event at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's Nashik facility, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated HAL's third production line for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and a second production line for the HTT-40 trainer aircraft at the facility, boosting IAF's strength and indigenous defence manufacturing.
While the production of Tejas fighter jets has already been taking place at the existing two facilities in Bengaluru, the new facility in Nashik has come up with an investment of over Rs 150 crore. This production line is likely to add eight more jets on a yearly basis, apart from 16 produced in Bengaluru, enhancing HAL's production capacity to 24 aircraft annually.
The state-of-the-art Tejas MK-1A is an upgraded version of the Tejas LCA and will replace Indian Air Force's recently retired MiG-21 fleet. LCA MK-1A is a more advanced, multi-role fighter jet, which features significant improvements, including improved combat avionics and air-to-air refuelling capabilities. The aircraft is a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter jet which is capable of air defence, ground attack, and maritime strike missions, government sources said.
Tejas MK-1A is made of over 64 percent indigenous content, and features an advanced mix of weapons and payloads tailored for diverse mission profiles, including air superiority, ground strikes and reconnaissance. With a top speed exceeding 2200 km/h, it is designed for enhanced combat performance and operational flexibility.
Last month, on September 25, the Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 62,370 crore contract with HAL for the supply of 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets -- 68 single-seater and 29 twin-seater trainer variants. The deal is expected to significantly boost the IAF's operational strength.
HAL officials said production of the LCA MK-1A is gaining pace. The company recently received four GE-404 jet engines from the American manufacturer General Electric, with a total of 12 expected by the end of this fiscal year. These engines will power the first batch of aircraft.
