Bengaluru: The first aircraft LA5033 of the Tejas Mk1A series soared into the sky successfully after taking off from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility in Bengaluru on March 28, marking a significant milestone in India’s aerospace and defense sector.
According to HAL, the Tejas Mk1A aircraft completed a successful sortie with a flying time of 18 minutes. The flight was piloted by Chief Test Pilot Group Captain K K Venugopal (Retired).
“This significant production milestone was achieved by HAL with concurrent design and development amid major supply chain challenges in the global geopolitical environment, subsequent to the contract signature in February 2021,” said HAL Chief Managing Director C B Ananthakrishnan.
HAL expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Defence, Indian Air Force, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and associated private firms for their contributions to the success of the program. The country can now look forward to the early induction of the Tejas Mk1A by the IAF, with more numbers expected through the three lines of production established at HAL.
“The Tejas Mk1A will feature advanced electronic RADAR, warfare, and communication systems, along with additional combat capability and improved maintenance features,” HAL added.
In a significant step towards indigenization, HAL had signed a Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement with CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) on November 8, 2023. The agreement aimed at manufacturing BMI Engine Bay Door for the series production of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) — Tejas Mk1A, an indigenous 4.5-generation, all-weather, and multi-role fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force.