LCA Tejas gets clearance for induction into IAF

India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas has received final operational clearance from military aviation regulator Cemilac for induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a weaponised fighter jet, said an official here on Wednesday. The Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (Cemilac) Chief Executive P. Jayapal handed over the "release-to-service" documents to the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal B.S. Dhanoa at the Aero India air show here.

"It is a major milestone for LCA to get the final operational clearance. The aircraft could fly in many sorties and demonstrated the precision with which it can deliver weapons," Dhanoa told the media. The aircraft performed air-to-ground attacks and air-to-air refuelling at IAF's Vayu Shakti air display at Pokhran in Rajasthan on February 16, the IAF chief said.

State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd Chairman and Managing Director R. Madhavan said HAL has responded to the request for proposal (RFP) floated by the IAF for 83 LCA Mk-1 with weaponisation. "The grant of final operational clearance to the aircraft is a landmark moment for aeronautic scientists, industry and businesses," state-run Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy told the media.