Over 10,000 sorties without an incident have been flown by the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas of the Indian Air Force (IAF), marking a significant milestone. Despite obstacles encountered along the road, this achievement highlights the success of the domestic fighter jet programme.
Since its initial flight in 2001, the Tejas, created by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), has undergone a great deal of testing and improvement. Two squadrons of the single-seat version are already in service with the IAF, and two-seater trainers are being introduced as well. This accomplishment shows how the aircraft is becoming more operationally mature.
Though the Tejas journey hasn't been without its obstacles. During a Tejas test flight in 2020, Group Captain Varun Singh almost lost his life due to an onboard issue following significant system updates. During a system check flight, Group Captain Varun Singh discovered a rare and unprecedented catastrophic failure of the pressurisation and flight control systems.
Looking ahead, the Tejas programme will continue to evolve. Future variations, such as the Mk1A and naval variant, are being developed with the goal of improving capabilities and meeting a variety of operational requirements.
In summary, the Tejas' 10,000 safe sorties represent a noteworthy accomplishment for India's domestic defence programme. Recognising the 2020 disaster is important, but so is the continuous effort to learn from it, make improvements, and make sure the Tejas continues to be a valuable and reliable asset for the IAF.
