The Hindu : National : Tejas PV-2 version to be ready soon

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Saturday, Jul 16, 2005

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National

Tejas PV-2 version to be ready soon

Staff Reporter

Talks on with Air Force for supply of 40 Light Combat Aircraft HAL's upgradation process for the batch of 19 aircraft has been completed

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

ADDING TO THE MIGHT: A line-up of the Jaguars that were handed over to the Indian Air Force at HAL airport in Bangalore on Friday.

BANGALORE: The Prototype Vehicle-2 (PV-2) version of Tejas, the indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), will be ready in a few days, said Ashok K. Baweja, chairman, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), here on Friday. The aviation major has also started talks with the IAF for the supply of 40 LCAs, he said.

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Baweja said the limited series production of eight Tejas aircraft for the IAF is on. The IAF has indicated that it wants 20 more aircraft, with an option to procure another 20.

Under the LCA development programme, the flight envelope has been opened and the weaponisation is expected soon. With Friday's delivery of nine upgraded twin-seater deep penetration strike aircraft, Jaguar, to the IAF, Mr. Baweja said HAL's upgradation process for the batch of 19 aircraft has been completed. "HAL put in a cockpit with enhanced Nav-Attack capability for Jaguar," he said. On other HAL projects, Mr. Baweja said the first two Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft produced under license were handed over and the production of the Advanced Jet Trainer, Hawk, will be taken up along with the Dorniers for the Navy. A.K. Saxena, managing director of HAL's Bangalore Complex, said the series production of the Pilotless Target Aircraft, Lakshya, had begun. The first Lakshya from the HAL factory was handed over to the IAF on Friday. Mr. Saxena said the limited series production of the Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) will be launched soon at HAL.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi, said the earlier Sukhoi-30 aircraft will be next in line for upgradation at HAL, along with the MiG-29s.

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