<p>“...I think by the end of this month, it should fly,” Saraswat said. Deccan Herald, quoting Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) chief P S Subramanya had reported on November 20 that the aircraft would fly in four weeks. <br /><br />Aeronautical Development Agency, a Bangalore-based DRDO lab, is responsible for the design, development, build, ground test and flight test of both the Naval and Air Force versions of the aircraft. DRDO officials said the aircraft is currently going through a phase of refinements based on feedback and observations during the September EGR (Engine Ground Run) followed by a series of final integration checks and taxi trials before the first flight.<br /><br /> They said the aircraft will be operating with a wide variety of operational weapons and equipments like the beyond visual range missiles, anti-ship missiles, conventional bombs, air defence guns and drop tanks. Equipped with state-of-the art technologies and punch, the aircraft is designed to operate from the future Indigenous aircraft carriers the Navy plans to acquire, they said.<br /><br />Saraswat said price negotiations for a joint venture with French firm Snecma RPT Snecma for co-development and co-production of Kaveri aero engine for LCA Tejas MK-II is expected to be completed in a couple of months.<br /><br />“Price negotiations with Snecma are in progress. They are not yet completed.It may take couple of months more,” he said. Officials said the Indian Air Force has cleared the Kaveri engine co-development proposal with Snecma. The draft engine technical specification has been examined and cleared by IAF, which has further suggested that the engine design should have minimal impact on the LCA Tejas airframe for future retrofitment.</p>
<p>“...I think by the end of this month, it should fly,” Saraswat said. Deccan Herald, quoting Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) chief P S Subramanya had reported on November 20 that the aircraft would fly in four weeks. <br /><br />Aeronautical Development Agency, a Bangalore-based DRDO lab, is responsible for the design, development, build, ground test and flight test of both the Naval and Air Force versions of the aircraft. DRDO officials said the aircraft is currently going through a phase of refinements based on feedback and observations during the September EGR (Engine Ground Run) followed by a series of final integration checks and taxi trials before the first flight.<br /><br /> They said the aircraft will be operating with a wide variety of operational weapons and equipments like the beyond visual range missiles, anti-ship missiles, conventional bombs, air defence guns and drop tanks. Equipped with state-of-the art technologies and punch, the aircraft is designed to operate from the future Indigenous aircraft carriers the Navy plans to acquire, they said.<br /><br />Saraswat said price negotiations for a joint venture with French firm Snecma RPT Snecma for co-development and co-production of Kaveri aero engine for LCA Tejas MK-II is expected to be completed in a couple of months.<br /><br />“Price negotiations with Snecma are in progress. They are not yet completed.It may take couple of months more,” he said. Officials said the Indian Air Force has cleared the Kaveri engine co-development proposal with Snecma. The draft engine technical specification has been examined and cleared by IAF, which has further suggested that the engine design should have minimal impact on the LCA Tejas airframe for future retrofitment.</p>
