By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service
Express News Service
Bangalore: The limited series production (LSP-8) version of India’s Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, is said to have incorporated all features sought by the Indian Air Force (IAF), so that it qualifies for the initial operational clearance (IOC). Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) head P.S. Subramaniam tells Express that Tejas LSP-8, the last aircraft from the test flightline, is tailor-made as per the pilot’s needs. “All designs are final. All systems are as per the final IOC standards and have matured with the aircraft,” Subramaniam said.
He said building of LSP-8 aircraft, its first flights and subsequent tests will be the last stepping stone towards the programme entering the series production phase. The IAF has placed an initial order of 20 Tejas. The ADA boss said that LSP-8 has pressure-refueling capabilities (the entire aircraft can be filled with fuel just in 5-6 minutes as against the 30-minutes taken for gravity filling). “Tejas LSP-8 is an all-weather, day and night capability fighter and with very maintenance-friendly features. It’s an aircraft built based on the needs expressed by Test pilots,” he said.
He said the pilot-vehicle interface features supported by avionics software are excellent in LSP-8 and as desired by the users. “The new aircraft is very robust with reliable flight control system. The aircraft has good compatibility with ground support and ground-handling equipment. I can now confidentially say that all that is required for an aircraft to get inducted into the Service is built into LSP-8,” Subramaniam said.
When asked whether the induction of Tejas into the IAF will further slip, considering that the IAF pilots might come back with more requirements after the user evaluation trials, the ADA chief said: “The feedback what we are getting from the Test pilots who have flown Tejas is excellent. Every stage we had pilots closely working with us.” Copyright@The New Indian Express
He said building of LSP-8 aircraft, its first flights and subsequent tests will be the last stepping stone towards the programme entering the series production phase. The IAF has placed an initial order of 20 Tejas. The ADA boss said that LSP-8 has pressure-refueling capabilities (the entire aircraft can be filled with fuel just in 5-6 minutes as against the 30-minutes taken for gravity filling). “Tejas LSP-8 is an all-weather, day and night capability fighter and with very maintenance-friendly features. It’s an aircraft built based on the needs expressed by Test pilots,” he said.
He said the pilot-vehicle interface features supported by avionics software are excellent in LSP-8 and as desired by the users. “The new aircraft is very robust with reliable flight control system. The aircraft has good compatibility with ground support and ground-handling equipment. I can now confidentially say that all that is required for an aircraft to get inducted into the Service is built into LSP-8,” Subramaniam said.
When asked whether the induction of Tejas into the IAF will further slip, considering that the IAF pilots might come back with more requirements after the user evaluation trials, the ADA chief said: “The feedback what we are getting from the Test pilots who have flown Tejas is excellent. Every stage we had pilots closely working with us.” Copyright@The New Indian Express
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