Bangalore: For 20 minutes, Group Captain Suneet Krishna, Group Captain K.K. Venugopal and Commodore Jaideep Avinash Maolankar, all ace test pilots, carried out virtual air-to-ground and air-to-air strikes over Bangalore’s skies on Friday morning to demonstrate that indigenous jet ‘Tejas’ is combat-ready, marking India’s entry into an exclusive club of countries with the capability to design and manufacture advanced fighter aircraft.
As defence minister A.K. Antony and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne looked on, these pilots took off with fighter jets fitted with laser guided bombs (LGBs), 1000-pound bombs and close-combat air-to-air missiles, picked up targets on the ground, intercepted aerial threats and simulated strikes, streaming every bit of action in the sky to mega screens on the ground.
The combat-readiness display and the Initial OperaÂtÂiÂoÂnal Clearance (IOC-2) an hour later marked the fruition of a project which was launÂcÂhed 30 years ago.
Antony declared later that pilots of Indian Air Force (IAF) could start flying the ‘Tejas’ from tomorrow, signaling that it is ready for induction by the air strike wing. “It is a great day for India today. We need more fighters for the air force and the navy, and we should think of exporting them after some time,” he added. Air Chief Marshal Browne, who has been reviewing the project every month since 2007, remarked:
“The progress of such a challenging experimental project without any accident or major incident is unprecedented in the history of aviation.”
The first squadron of 40 ‘Tejas’ fighters would be based at Sulur air base in Tamil Nadu, he said adding “the profile of the aircraft will be accepted by the air force. In 2011, there were some things which we had to do and correct some design changes.
“All have been done now. Now we are fully satisfied with initial operational clearance.” Group Captain Suneet Krishna, who has been associated with the project from the early days, said the ‘Tejas’ meets all the requirements laid down by IAF and matches contemporary fighters technologically. “It is really combat-worthy.
We are concentrating on integration of weapons systems and radar systems now, and of course we will continue to improve its performance. We feel very proud as it is the hard work of thousands of people who have delivered the fighter. They are the real heroes. We are only the glamour-end of the programme,” he added.
Next: LCA can match any mature fighter jet, says test pilot
LCA can match any mature fighter jet, says test pilot
Amit S. Upadhye | DC
Bangalore: They say pilots can give the best certificate for any flying machine. And Group Captain K. K. Venugopal, who has flown the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for close to 300 hours, is of the opinion that its avionics and stealth capability is world class.
He told Deccan Chronicle on Friday, that the LCA is far ahead of other aircraft in its class and matches other matured fighter aircraft such as Gripen, MiG Bison and China’s J.F. 17, currently being used by Pakistan Air Force.
“The LCA has a composite body and is lightweight (9 tonnes). Its avionics system can match any fourth generation aircraft in the world. It enables the pilots to carry out precision strikes during day and night. Its strike capabilities have been tested in the airfields of Jaisalmer and Goa,” Group Captain Venugopal said.
The relaxed static stability of LCA helps the pilot carry out maximum manoeuvres in the quickest possible time. “Its fly-by-wire flight control with an electronic interface enables the pilots an error-free flying,” he added.
Group Captain Venugopal, who has over 3,500 hours of flying experience, also mentioned that the coming 12 months will be crucial for the LCA project, when the combat accuracy and improvised communication systems will be tested.
“It is the first and important step in production of indigenous fighter jets. Indian pilots will soon be flying machines manufactured in the country by our scientists.
“It’s a proud feeling,” he added.
