Good news for Indian Air Force as Tejas project gets 6th engine; here's what it means
The HAL official said, The good news is that for the Tejas fleet, the LMC is done. Scroll down to read what it means.
Good news for Indian Air Force as Tejas project gets 6th engine; here's what it means (AI-generated image)
Tejas Aircraft: There's a fresh update on the Tejas fighter jet project as GE Aerospace has provided the 6th engine for the Tejas LCA Mk1A to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). However, the project is still facing delays.
What has happened?
GE Aerospace said that it has given the 6th F404 engine to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in the US. The engine will now be brought back to India. Alongside this, India has placed an order for a total of 99 engines from GE for the Tejas Mk1A jets. However, only 6 engines until now have been delivered, as per reports.
Cause of delay
The HAL has only received 6 engines so far. Due to this reason, the delivery of the Tejas MK1A fighter jets is also getting repeatedly delayed time and again. The Indian Air Force has raised concerns regarding the delays.
"The good news is that for the Tejas fleet, the LMC is done, there is a local modification committee civil action there, which looks at this, so we expect this clearance by Wednesday, the fleet will start flying," said Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director Dr DK Sunil on Thursday, as reported by ANI.
He also added, "Some one-time checks have been issued, which they will have to carry out, and they can start flying."
Important meeting between IAF and HAL
A significant meeting will happen between the Indian Air Force and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) soon. The IAF and HAL officials are likely to discuss and check whether the aircraft is ready and meets all the required necessities, as per reports. If everything goes right in the meeting, a timeline can possibly be decided. In case it does not happen, the delays may continue to happen.
What happens before delivery?
The aircraft has to pass many tests before joining the force. The aircraft must meet the strict rules and guidelines of the Air Staff Quality Requirements (ASQR). In addition, the technical checks and test flights are also likely to happen for the jet to get accepted.
Importance of Tejas
Tejas Mk1A remains extremely important for India's defence. At present, the country has just 29 squadrons. However, the force requires 42. India has ordered 83 Tejas Mk1A to fill the gap and now it even plans to buy 97 more.
(With inputs from ANI)
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