Many buyers show keen interest on India’s Tejas

Queries were received about India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas for possible export, during the recently-held Bahrain International Airshow, Indian media reported yesterday, quoting Hindustan Aeronautical (HAL) chief T. Suvarna Raju.

Raju also asserted that the first upgraded Tejas with better radar, missile systems and mid-air refuelling capability would be handed over to the Indian Air Force by 2018.

“We have got enquiries for LCA already,” Raju said as he lauded the aircraft’s performance during the Bahrain Airshow.

Asked for the names of the countries, which have evinced interest, Raju said: “Believe us when I say there are enquiries for LCA.”

During the Bahrain Airshow, two limited series production (LSP) aircraft enthralled the visitors from various countries with the flying display through a series of aerobatic manoeuvres such as 8-g pull, vertical loop, slow fly past, barrel roll etc.”

Speaking at the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) on January 22, Dr S Christopher, the director-general of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), had said that the ‘Make in India’ policy also extended to seeking international sales of its equipment.

Dr Christopher was upbeat about the prospects of their indigenously-developed defence products and the light combat aircraft Tejas. There is good interest from the trade observers and the Middle East buyers, the Indian delegation had said. The Indian delegation had a specific discussion with buyers from Abu Dhabi. 

Tejas is a single-engined, light weight, highly agile, multi-role supersonic fighter. The combat aircraft is a 4.5 generation aircraft with supersonic capability at all altitudes. It has the fly-by-wire, state-of-the-art open architecture computer for avionics and better weapon and combat capability. With the advanced avionics, the pilot load is also reduced.

During the BIAS, the Sarang (Peacock in Sanskrit) helicopter display team of the Indian Air Force that flew four HAL-produced Dhruv helicopters also enthralled the visitors, including Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

HAL’s Dhruv is suitable for increased payload at higher altitudes and has been developed for the Indian Defence Forces. More than 200 helicopters have been produced so far cumulatively clocking around 1,42,000 hours of flying.

The Indian govt-owned aerospace and defence company HAL had set up a stall at the Show to explain visitors various activities of the company with a focus on ALH WSI (Rudra) and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH).

The LCH, which completed performance trials recently, is only an attack helicopter, which can operate above 10,000–12,000 feet altitude with considerable load of armament.

The armed version of the ALH-Rudra is equipped with turreted gun, rockets, air-to-air missiles, EO POD, Helmet pointing system and Radar/Laser/Missile Warning Systems.