Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (DCAS) visited National Flight Test Centre, Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas Division to assess the progress of the indigenous combat aircraft projects.
The HAL is leading various military projects for the Indian armed forces, including the LCA Tejas for the Indian Air Force.
A keen Experimental Test Pilot himself, he has been driving the modernization efforts of the Indian Air Force towards self-reliance in the development and manufacture of combat aircraft.
During his visit, the Air Marshal also flew the Series Production Trainer-01 of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
Trainer -01 is specially designed to train combat flight which is undergoing final developmental test sorties.
According to the IAF, Deputy Chief took a sortie to get a firsthand feel of its capabilities.
The IAF is presently operating the LCA Mk 1 aircraft and has a pending order of 83 LCA Mk 1A aircraft.
Keeping the delivery on schedule, HAL has also been ramping up its manufacturing assembly line for the Tejas.
During the visit to the Tejas Division, the HAL team briefed the DCAS on the production status of trainer aircraft and the plan for deliveries of the LCA Mk 1A.
The DCAS visited the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand Production Line to assess the production status of the homegrown combat helicopter.
The delivery of 10 LCH Limited Series Production aircraft for the IAF is nearing completion and the production of the Series Production aircraft is likely to commence shortly to meet the order of 145 Series Production LCH for the IAF and Indian Army.