HAL opens third production line for Tejas LCA in Nashik

Nashik: Months before fully weaponised Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk1A are to be handed over to the Indian Air Force, state-owned aviation major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on Friday launched its third LCA production line here, paving the way for the company to produce 24 indigenous jets in a year.

The HAL Nashik complex that produced 579 MiGs and 220-plus Su-30s over the years will now manufacture the single-seater delta wing home-grown combat jets and trainer aircraft Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 for the IAF, which is in dire need of these aircraft.

Inaugurating the facilities, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India once imported 65-70% of critical military hardware, but was manufacturing 65% of the equipment at home now. The target would be to increase domestic production to 100% in future, he said without giving a timeline.

The IAF, however, has to still wait for a few months to get the first set of Tejas LCA Mk-1 as all weapon trials, including firing of Astra beyond-visual-range missiles, are yet to be completed. The last Astra firing from Tejas in March encountered software glitches that needed a fix.

“Today, the aircraft is ready structurally. So, whatever changes are going to come will be software changes. Whether it's the weapon aiming, the radar, or in the electronic warfare (suite), it's going to be software-related. It will be quite easy to quickly upgrade the software to the latest standard and deliver,” D K Sunil, HAL chairman and managing director, said.

“The key issue is we have built the capacity, we are building the aircraft, and if we do the weapon trials successfully, then the deliveries will fall quite easily. We are not only increasing production but also contributing to timely delivery to the armed forces,” he said.

India has so far received four GE F404 engines for the LCA Mk-1A, while eight more are expected this year. With the engine supply improving in the coming months, HAL plans to augment the Nashik plant’s capacity to produce 10 fighter jets annually.

The Bengaluru-based company has inked two separate contracts worth more than Rs 109,000 crore with the Defence Ministry to deliver 180 Tejas LCA Mk-1A to the IAF, whose squadron strength has depleted to 29 after the retirement of the last two MiG squadrons last month.

The IAF earlier inducted two squadrons of the first-generation Tejas LCA, but those fighters deployed at Sulur and Naliya air bases are used primarily for pilot training.

The second HTT-40 unit will cater to another HAL contract, worth Rs 6,838 crore, of supplying 70 trainers to the IAF. The delivery was to start last month, but the programme was also delayed due to engine provider Honeywell’s inability to deliver the engines in time for trainer aircraft.

The Defence Minister applauded HAL for the critical role it played to support the IAF assets like Su-30 MKI, Jaguar, Mirage and Tejas LCA during Operation Sindoor.

“HAL provided support at various operational sites 24 hours a day during the operation. It ensured the IAF's operational readiness by carrying out prompt maintenance on fighter jets and helicopters. The Nashik team performed the crucial task of installing the BrahMos missile on the Su-30, which destroyed terrorist hideouts during the operation,” Rajnath said.