The indigenously-designed and manufactured Tejas light combat aircraft(lCA) has successfully fired an air-to-air beyond visual range (BVR) missile as part of trials to emerge as a complete plane to carry out all combat roles. The test-firing conducted off the Goa coast on Friday will enable the Tejas to obtain the final operational clearance (FOC) in the next few months and then induction into the IAF.
Giving these details here on Saturday, defence ministry officials said the test met all operational requirements. Earlier, Tejas was given clearance for deployment of armaments and other missiles. In fact, eight Tejas jets, now with the IAF, flew numerous sorties during the recently concluded exercise Gaganshakti and performed roles like ground attacks and strikes. Moreover, all the jets flew at least six sorties per day during the simulated intense battle scenario spread over three consecutive days with operations conducted 24X7 and the plane performed well, officials said.
The IAF had initially ordered 40 Tejas Mark-1 version and a request for proposal (RFP) was issued to Hindustan Aeronautics limited(HAl) by the IAF in December last year for procurement of another batch of 83 Tejas at a cost of around Rs 50,000 crore.
Officials said the successful launch of the BVR missile will expedite issuance of the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) to the aircraft developed and designed by Aeronautical Development Agency(ADA) and manufactured by the HAl.
“The light Combat Aircraft (lCA) successfully fired Derby air-to-air BVR Range missile to expand the firing envelope as well as to demonstrate safe operation of the aircraft,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
It said the missile was launched from the lCA flown by Wing Commander Siddharth Singh. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman complimented the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO)and other agencies involved in making Tejas a world-class aircraft.
DRDO Chairman S Christopher said with this firing, the Tejas has achieved another major milestone towards FOC certification. “Integration of Derby, a BVR class missile, is one of the major objectives of Final Operational Clearance (FOC) of lCA Tejas,” said the ministry.
The aircraft was tracked by two other Tejas aircraft in close formation to capture the firing event in the specially instrumented high speed cameras for detailed analysis of the test launch of the missile.
Based on the successful integration and demonstration, Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness (RCMA), a unit of DRDO has cleared the series production aircraft of squadron 45, to be equipped with Derby operational capability, the ministry said.