In Pictures: First Series Production Tejas Mk-1A Trainer Revealed As IAF's Deputy Chief Takes To The Skies

In a landmark development, pictures of the first series-production Tejas Mk-1A two-seat trainer have emerged as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff (DCAS), Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, visits the National Flight Training Centre (NFTC) in Bengaluru.

The Deputy Chief was visiting the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HALs) Tejas Division and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to assess the progress in the production of the 83 Tejas Mk-1A fighters.

He also flew the series production two-seat trainer of the LCA Tejas Mk-1A, to get a firsthand feel of the aircraft.

"During his visit, the Air Marshal flew the Series Production Trainer-01 of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, which is undergoing final developmental test sorties, to get a firsthand feel of its capabilities," a statement released by the Ministry of Defence said.

The IAF has ordered 83 Tejas Mk-1A in a deal worth Rs 48,000 crore, in 2021.

Under the deal HAL has to manufacture 10 two-seater trainer variants and 73 one-seater variants, apart from delivering the remaining eight two-seater trainers from the earlier deal of delivering 40 Tejas Mk-1 versions.

This series-production trainer is from the eight earlier ordered.

The Deputy Chief also visited the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand production line.

According to the press release, the delivery of the initial limited series production (LSP) of 10 LCHs for the IAF is almost complete and the manufacturing process for the remaining five LCH of the Army will begin shortly.

In total, the IAF and the Indian Army plan to buy 145 series production LCHs.