Tejas Mk1A Fighter Jet Completes 18 Min Maiden Flight From HAL' Bengaluru Facility

BENGALURU, India – In a significant achievement for India's aerospace industry, the first production variant of the Tejas Mk-1A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) took to the skies today.

The aircraft, designated LA5033, lifted off effortlessly from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility in Bengaluru for an 18-minute maiden flight – a crucial milestone in the advanced fighter jet's development.

HAL reaching this production milestone is a testament to India's dedication to streamlining the Tejas Mk1A's delivery. The successful flight comes amidst the company's ambitious approach of concurrent design and development alongside production.

This strategy likely involved careful supply chain management to overcome challenges brought about by the global geopolitical landscape after the contract was signed in February 2021.

Gp Capt K K Venugopal (Retd), HAL's Chief Test Pilot (Fixed Wing), masterfully piloted the inaugural flight. His experience was a significant asset in ensuring the test flight's seamless execution.

The Tejas Mk1A is a marked upgrade from the Mk-1, showcasing advancements like:

• Enhanced avionics and weapon systems
• Improved operational capabilities
• Advanced radar technology

These innovations position the Tejas Mk1A as a vital asset to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in its ongoing fleet modernization endeavors, strengthening the nation's domestic defence capabilities.

The success of this maiden flight sets the stage for further rigorous testing and evaluation of the Tejas Mk1A, ensuring its readiness to bolster the IAF's combat prowess.

 

[Akshat]

When will the first jet be handed over to the IAF? Because an 18 minute first flight hardly makes it completely ready to be inducted in a few days

About 5-6 months, if nothing goes wrong. Twin seater trainer had a lag of about 6 months.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

HAL actually need to fix their habit of missing timelines.....this was supposed to happen in Feb but it's already a month delayed.....( And it's still not handed over to IAF)
I know some people will say I'm being a little too pessimistic and negative but one gotta see the larger pic. .
This is only for the LCA program that they are missing timelines
What will happen in near future when they have to produce LCA mk1a, LCA mk2, Su 30mki, TEDBF, Maybe ORCA, AMCA mk1 simultaneously!?

This is a glass half empty, half full situation. It deoends on how you look at it.

I am more optimistic as I would say that given HAL's track record over past decades, a 1 month delay is astronomically good. And more importantly, it shows improvement. So, i believe that regarding future development and production HAL can avoid large delays and might even deliver ahead of time(overly optimistic, I know).

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Just get some good editors ..... millions are present in YT, they might even do it for free .

Well, editing is just small part of it. You need good camera work, sound design, etc. Unless you have good film, only then editing comes in to finish the deal.

 

[Ashutosh]

Well, editing is just small part of it. You need good camera work, sound design, etc. Unless you have good film, only then editing comes in to finish the deal.

That' right 👍

 

[Sangram]

One thing I would need to highlight that I actually don't like about any of our agencies is how they advertise and present themselves......
One can see the video of first flight 🤦
The first thing that came in mind was
" Aadhar card vala camera use Kiya hai"
What's with the video quality!?
Is this how you will present yourself!?
Infront of the whole world!?
Ur 4.5 gen. fighter took first flight and u couldn't bother yourself to get a decent camera!?
Just see how Turkey presented KAAN in their videos
Just see how SKorea presented KF21 in its test flight videos......
I m not even going towards Lockheed or Boeing.....

Seriously this is quite bothersome and annoying....

Yeah PR should be good, you can see KAAN PR very high quality videos and here we are using Baba Azam ke jamana ke camera .

 

[Akshat]

This is a glass half empty, half full situation. It deoends on how you look at it.

I am more optimistic as I would say that given HAL's track record over past decades, a 1 month delay is astronomically good. And more importantly, it shows improvement. So, i believe that regarding future development and production HAL can avoid large delays and might even deliver ahead of time(overly optimistic, I know).

Who said the delay is of 1 month? It’s far greater. Only first flight has happened. Trainer version took 5-6 months between FF and induction. And that will be just 1 plane. 3 were to be delivered. And HAL currently is making planes at the rate of 1-2 per year or even lower (depending on the time period chosen). So the delay is in years, at best.

 

[Pink Panther]

Negative sayers, …….go burry your head in the sand; the plane flew and flew well .

Hope it successfully completes IAF testing and IAF is successfully happy with it’s performance and successfully not ask for any more changes causing further delays, do many things have to be successful before it is inducted 😇😇😇.

 

[Sanatani Yodha]

Good news….
Still a long road ahead…. Remember Uttam Aesa will come after 40nos mk1a… ie after some 4-5 yrs given pathetic production rates….
Mk2????
Amca????
Tedbf????
MWF????

After 10yrs, world will be flying 6th gen fighters and our HAL will be still struggling to deliver mk1a….

In this chase game, ultimately we will be running behind, chasing next gen techs….

 

[Indian1]

One thing I would need to highlight that I actually don't like about any of our agencies is how they advertise and present themselves......
One can see the video of first flight 🤦
The first thing that came in mind was
" Aadhar card vala camera use Kiya hai"
What's with the video quality!?
Is this how you will present yourself!?
Infront of the whole world!?
Ur 4.5 gen. fighter took first flight and u couldn't bother yourself to get a decent camera!?
Just see how Turkey presented KAAN in their videos
Just see how SKorea presented KF21 in its test flight videos......
I m not even going towards Lockheed or Boeing.....

Seriously this is quite bothersome and annoying....

SpaceX shows live coverage of rocket launches and booster-landing every time with onboard cameras. When ISRO launches mostly animations are aired.

 

[bonito]

Terrific news. I expected the delivery to be in Sep 2025. Seems it will be handed over by end of this year itself.

 

[bonito]

Negative sayers, …….go burry your head in the sand; the plane flew and flew well .

Sir, they hadn't delivered as per aggreement

 

[Sir Capt]

Hopefully induction is accomplished by 2030.

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

First flight 2 months after they were supposed to deliver 3 planes. Kudos to HAL supporters.

That's all true but as the saying goes, "better late than never". Also there isn't another option in the near horizon.

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

When will the first jet be handed over to the IAF? Because an 18 minute first flight hardly makes it completely ready to be inducted in a few days

2 years maybe.....maybe a bit longer.

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

Good news….
Still a long road ahead…. Remember Uttam Aesa will come after 40nos mk1a… ie after some 4-5 yrs given pathetic production rates….
Mk2????
Amca????
Tedbf????
MWF????

After 10yrs, world will be flying 6th gen fighters and our HAL will be still struggling to deliver mk1a….

In this chase game, ultimately we will be running behind, chasing next gen techs….

TEDBF is a waste of resources. Indian needs about 60-80 naval spec jets which is too low of a figure to design and produce a dedicated airframe economically.

 

[Sunnyj]

Congratulations to HAL, suppliers and all involved 👏 🎉 Momentous occasion for whole country!! India making big strides in aviation slowly but surely. Next for MK2.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Who said the delay is of 1 month? It’s far greater. Only first flight has happened. Trainer version took 5-6 months between FF and induction. And that will be just 1 plane. 3 were to be delivered. And HAL currently is making planes at the rate of 1-2 per year or even lower (depending on the time period chosen). So the delay is in years, at best.

there are good reasons for the delay. These reasons include the IAF asking for changes and delay in receiving components from european country due to russia-ukraine war. The changes asked by IAF, require additional certification, which is done by independent body.

“But the first flight happened today. The aircraft will undergo more trials and a feedback mechanism (is in place) before it is formally handed over to the IAF,” a source said.

Another source said the IAF had asked for certain software iterations (changes) along with smaller design shifts, besides a “few other changes”.

“All of this will take some more time as even minor changes take time,” the second source said, adding that certain certifications were pending. Asked when the IAF asked for those changes, the source said “recently”. there is an article on the Print, that you can read.

Blamin HAL for everything is not right. If HAL was solely at fault, IAF officers would be screming their heads off right now.

 

[Akshat]

there are good reasons for the delay. These reasons include the IAF asking for changes and delay in receiving components from european country due to russia-ukraine war. The changes asked by IAF, require additional certification, which is done by independent body.

“But the first flight happened today. The aircraft will undergo more trials and a feedback mechanism (is in place) before it is formally handed over to the IAF,” a source said.

Another source said the IAF had asked for certain software iterations (changes) along with smaller design shifts, besides a “few other changes”.

“All of this will take some more time as even minor changes take time,” the second source said, adding that certain certifications were pending. Asked when the IAF asked for those changes, the source said “recently”. there is an article on the Print, that you can read.

Blamin HAL for everything is not right. If HAL was solely at fault, IAF officers would be screming their heads off right now.

No changes had been asked for by IAF. Show me a single actual source. The comments you mentioned are lies by HAL officials only. I can guarantee that you won’t have an actual named source, do you? And please don’t use the ‘our defense processes are opaque excuses’. Else you can say whatever you want in the name of this.

And no. There were no international delays either. How come L&T and others don’t have these issues? In fact, even despite issues L&T rolled out Zorawar on time.

So the sole reason is HAL. And as I always say, no one in the world can do anything against HAL/DPSUs/DRDO. No one. They are beyond any punishment.

 

[Akshat]

That's all true but as the saying goes, "better late than never". Also there isn't another option in the near horizon.

No. Late is not better. It’s not even acceptable. As for options, options are being created. That’s why MRFA has been proposed under SPP. C295 was given to Tata. That’s why HAL is being sold off in parts. That’s why GoI had the financial penalty clause in Mk1a deal (though even that threat has clearly failed to force HAL into being on time). That’s why GoI is insisting on a private player in AMCA. So maybe not in the near hirizon but we will surely get to a day when HAL won’t drag the whole country down with it.

 

[Taus Melek]

Woop woop! And in the meantime Turkey and South Korea are already fly/testing 5th gen stealth fighers