All About LCA Tejas | UPSC
HEADLINES:
Battle-ready LCA Tejas takes to the skies
WHY IN NEWS:
The Union Cabinet has approved procurement of 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircrafts and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 Trainer aircrafts at the cost of Rs. 45,696 Crore along with Design and Development of Infrastructure sanctions worth Rs.1,202 Crore.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Defence:LCA tejas
LEARNING:
For PRELIMS it is important to know the specifications of LCA Tejas and its role in enhancing Aerial Power of Indian Air force.
For MAINS nothing much here ! You can use specification to enhance GS-2/GS-3 answers .
ISSUE:
OVERVIEW
- Light Combat Aircraft Mk-1A variant is an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured state-of-the-art modern 4+ generation fighter aircraft.
SOURCES : WIKIPEDIA | All About LCA Tejas | UPSC
LIGHT COMBAT AIRCRAFT TEJAS
- Tejas is a single engined, light weight, highly agile, multi-role supersonic fighter.
- It has quadruplex digital fly-by-wire Flight Control System (FCS) with associated advanced flight control laws.
- The aircraft with delta wing is designed for ‘air combat’ and ‘offensive air support’ with ‘reconnaissance’ and ‘anti-ship’ as its secondary roles.
- Extensive use of advanced composites in the airframe gives a high strength to weight ratio, long fatigue life and low radar signatures.
- Aeronautical Development Agency is the designated project manager for the development of LCA.
ADVANCED FEATURES
- Stealth features have been designed into Tejas.
- The application of radar-absorbent material (RAM) coatings are intended to minimise its susceptibility to detection and tracking.
MISSILES
- Air-to-air missiles
- Air-to-surface missile
- Anti-ship missiles
BOMBS
- Unguided bombs
- Laser-guided bombs
- Glide bombs
- Cluster bombs (expected)
OTHERS
- Aerial refuelling probe compatible with Russian & US tankers
- Drop tanks for ferry flight/extended range/loitering time
AVIONICS
- Hybrid Elta EL/M-2032 multi-mode all weather fire control radar with day and night capability.
- Mayavi electronic warfare (EW) suite with radar warning receiver (RWR), missile approach warning (MAW), laser warning receiver (LWR) and electronic countermeasure (ECM) system.
- Ultraviolet Missile warning sensors, self-protection jammer.
- Chaff, jaff and flares dispenser.
- Infrared search and track (IRST) system & laser designator / rangefinder.
- Towed radar decoy.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- This flight signifies exemplary team work among the stakeholders of the LCA Tejas programme such as HAL.
- “This would pave the way for production of remaining 15 fighters from FOC [Final Operational Clearance] block, which are planned to be delivered during the next financial year.”
SOURCES:THE HINDU | All About LCA Tejas | UPSC

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