The indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas has fired its first missile marking the beginning of the weaponisation phase of the home grown fighter, which is slated to be inducted in the Indian Air force by 2010. 

The Light Combat Aircraft successfully test fired close combat missile R-73 on Thursday at the air-to-air range off Goa coast,, Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said. A naval Sea Harrier fighter chased the Light Combat Aircraft to photograph the maiden missile firing. 

Text book affair

A quick analysis of Thursday’s test data showed that the missile launch was a ‘text book’ affair, Mr Kar said, adding that the event marked the beginning of weaponisation, which is the focus of the initial operational clearance (IOC) phase of the programme.

The missile was fired from the first prototype of Tejas (PV-1) piloted by the chief test pilot of the national flight test Centre of the Aeronautical Development Agency, Group Captain N Harish. The test firing was done at an altitude of seven km when the plane was flying at a velocity 0.6 Mach.

At the time of induction, Tejas will carry beyond visual range air-to-air astra missile whose range is 80 km in head-on chase and 15 km in tail chase. The fighter has seven pods for carrying missiles.

The fighter will also have 23 mm canon. 

Almost six months ago, IAF had formed a core team to look into the entire weaponisation programme and the induction of the indigenous fighter in the services. 

Squadron by 2010

“Four Light Combat Aircraft are now flying and we have a team headed by an air vice marshal to oversee the process. We are hoping to receive the first Light Combat Aircraft squadron by 2010,” said IAF chief Air Marshal Fali Homi Major. 

The Light Combat Aircraft programme director at the Indian Air Force AVM B C Nanjapa was present during the missile test along with officials from defence research and development organisation and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). 

The test validated safe separation of the missile from the parent aircraft and effect of the missile plume on the engine air-intake. In addition functionality of the store management system (SMS) including safety interlocks, effect of missile plume on composites structures, and quality parameters during missile launch were validated. 

The successful test firing is the culmination of preparatory work under the guidance of JJ Jadhav, DPD (Weapon Systems) and Balasubramanyam, AGM (HAL). INS Hansa of Indian Navy provided support for this important flight trial.