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:

The first Light Combat Aircraft Tejas in Final Operational Clearance-standard (SP-21) took to the skies for its maiden flight here on Tuesday, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited said.

OVERVIEW

Light Combat Aircraft Mk-1A variant is an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured state-of-the-art modern 4+ generation fighter aircraft.

It is the first “Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)” category procurement of combat aircrafts with an indigenous content of 50%.

All About LCA Tejas | UPSC

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.

LCA-Production Group (LCA-PG) was launched in 2002 at HAL as the designated manufacturing unit for manufacturing the indigenously designed 4.5 generation aircraft – Tejas being designed by ADA.

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.

The aircraft are equipped with advanced features such as Air-to-Air refuelling and Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile system.

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.”

SUGGESTED READING : https://hal-india.co.in/LCA-Tejas%20Division%20Bangalore/M__187

SOURCES:THE HINDU | All About LCA Tejas | UPSC

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