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Watch: First FOC-Standard LCA Tejas Successfully Completes Maiden Test Flight In Bengaluru
Swarajya Staff
Mar 18, 2020, 11:58 AM | Updated 11:58 AM IST
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In a major development, the state-owned defence and aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Tuesday (17 March) successfully conducted the maiden flight of the final operational clearance (FOC) standard (SP-21) variant of the indigenously developed Tejas fighter aircraft, reports Economic Times.
A video of the test flight was shared by defence website Livefist.
BREAKING: First FOC-standard LCA Tejas finally takes to the air. Here's SP-21 piloted today from Bengaluru by Air Cmde KA Muthana on a 40-minute sortie. FOC standard features air-to-air refueling, BVR missile & manufacturing improvements. pic.twitter.com/4fqsN8P9UE
— Livefist (@livefist) March 17, 2020
The flight lasted for a duration of 40 minutes and was piloted by former Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Commodore KA Muthana (Retd). He took off abroad the state-of-the-art fighter jet developed by HAL from the the HAL Airport in Bengaluru.
The said variant of the Tejas fighter jet platform is equipped with sundry advanced features including air-to-air refuelling, support for Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles and an array of manufacturing improvements implemented on the previous variant.
It should be noted that the FOC Sp-21 variant of Tejas fighter jet has been developed by HAL in a record time of 12 months since the release of Drawing Applicability List (DAL) and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).
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