The Main Airframe Fatigue Test (MAFT) of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1 airframe has started at a facility in Bengaluru. The test is being carried out by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at its Ground Test Centre of the Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC).

What is the MAFT Test?

This test is required to demonstrate the capability of the airframe to withstand four times the service life. This is as per the military airworthiness requirements.

According to HAL, these tests will be carried out over a period of eight to nine years on the LCA (Air Force) Mk1 airframe.

Once the MAFT tests are carried out successfully, the LCA (Air Force) Mk1 airframe is then fit for its full-service life.

Who plans the tests?

The designers from HAL and scientists from Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in coordination with the Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness (RCMA), CEMILAC are the ones who have made the schedule and plan for the MAFT Test. And these tests and inspections will be carried out by ARDC and it will be under the supervision of DGAQA and there will be participants from ARDC and ADA.

While R Madhavan, CMD, HAL and Dr Girish Dheodhare, PGD (CA) & DG-ADA, expressed their satisfaction over the timely MAFT testing, Air Vice Marshal KV R Raju, Director IAF-PMT has urged the team to keep up the momentum of the tests as this would ensure that the continuous flying requirements of the IAF are met with.

About LCA in IAF

According to reports in May 2020, the state-owned HAL had produced its first LCA-MK1 FOC variant aircraft; it was then put to test. The FOC version is seen as an operational upgrade to the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) version.

So far the IAF has already delivered 16 IOC variant aircraft and they are part of the No 45 squadron (Flying Daggers) at the Sulur Air Force Station.

Also, No 18 squadron (Flying Bullets) has been operationalised by the IAF and it has FOC variants at the same air base. As has been reported earlier, once IAF gets the delivery of all the 24 FOC variants (16 FOC-single seater and 8 FOC twin seater), according to officials, the 45 Flying Daggers will then be upgraded to the same variant. The CCS has already given a green signal to the IAF’s 83 LCA-MK-1A order worth Rs 48, 000 crore which was awarded to HAL and to ensure that the production is expedited; a second plant was inaugurated in Bengaluru. This order includes 73 Tejas Mk-1A variants and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 trainer aircraft. The delivery of these is expected to start by March 2024.