Tejas handed over to IAF

The first Indian Light Combat Aircraft – Tejas was finally handed over to Indian Air Force by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. With this development 32 year’s journey of Tejas got a new landmark.

However, the induction of Tejas into a fighting squadron is not yet to be done and will take more time.

After the induction, Tejas will replace MiG21. Current version of Tejas is SP-1 i.e. first series production.

According to the experts versions from SP-3 will be considered to make a fighting squadron.

What is Tejas?

  1. A single-seat, single-engine, multi-role light fighter aircraft
  2. It is being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for India.
  3. It came from the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme
  4. The programme began in the 1980s to replace India’s ageing MiG-21 fighters
  5. Later, the LCA was officially named “Tejas”, meaning “Radiance” by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Features of Tejas

Speed 1,350 kmph
Radius of Action over 400 km
Weight 12 tonnes
Length 13.2 metre
Height 4.4 metre
Wings Span 8.2 metre
Service ceiling 15 km
Cost per each Tejas Rs 220-250 crore