By Aritra Banerjee
The Indian Navy made a significant stride towards Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) with the successful landing of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Navy and the Russian-origin MiG-29K onboard the indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. The achievement demonstrates India’s capability to design, develop, construct, and operate an IAC. The successful landings mark a major milestone in India’s push towards self-reliance in defence and aerospace and operational readiness.
LCA Variants To Feature At Aero India 2023
The 14th edition of the biennial Aero India show, set to take place from 13-17 February at Yelahanka Air Force Station, will showcase India’s advancements in fixed-wing aviation. At the centre of the ‘India Pavilion,’ based on the ‘Fixed Wing Platform’ theme, will be a full-scale LCA-Tejas aircraft in its Final Operational Clearance (FOC) configuration. The pavilion will demonstrate the growth of India in developing an ecosystem for fixed-wing platforms, including various structural modules, simulators, and systems being produced by private partners.
The show will also feature a section for ‘Defence Space and New Technologies,’ as well as a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) section, providing insights into India’s growth in these sectors. The LCA-Tejas, a single-engine, lightweight, multi-role supersonic fighter, will be one of the star attractions. The aircraft features a quadruplex digital fly-by-wire Flight Control System (FCS), advanced composites for a high strength-to-weight ratio and low radar signatures, a glass cockpit, a zero-zero ejection seat, inflight refuelling probe, and jam-proof Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, among other state-of-the-art features.
LCA-Tejas has come a long way in its development and is available in Air Force fighter and twin-seater versions, as well as an LCA Navy fighter and twin-seater. Variants like the LCA Lead-in Fighter Trainer (LIFT) and MK-2 are in the works. Aero India provides a platform for national and international aerospace and defence companies to showcase their advanced products and explore business opportunities.
