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Dubai Air Show Crash: What is Tejas? 5 things about 4.5-generation Indian fighter jet
In September, the Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 62,370-crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 97 Mk1A LCA for the Indian Air Force.
It is a single-engine, multirole combat aircraft with canard delta wing. (File Photo)
The Indian Air Force’s Tejas fighter jet crashed during a demonstration at the Dubai Airshow on Friday. killing its pilot. Visuals of the incident shared on social media showed a combat aircraft crashing mid-flight.
Black smoke rose over the Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central as spectators watched. Sirens sounded after the crash.
What is HAL Tejas?
Generation
Manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Tejas is a 4.5-generation fighter jet. It was the outcome of the Light Combat Aircraft programme, which was initiated in 1984 with the aim of developing a modern, indigenous fighter jet to replace the ageing MiG-21 fleet. The prototype of the jet took its maiden flight in 2001, and the first squadron, the No. 45 ‘Flying Daggers’, was inducted into the IAF in 2016.
Features
It is a single-engine, multirole combat aircraft with a canard delta wing. According to HAL, it is designed to be capable of offensive air support, close combat and ground attack roles. There is a two-seat variant of India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, designed primarily for pilot training. HAL is currently working on the Mark II variant of the jet.
Foreign counterparts
The competitors to the LCA Mk1 in the same 4.5 generation are the JF-17 Block III (China), Saab Gripen E (Sweden), and F-16V (USA), with others like the J-10C (China) and FA-50 (South Korea).
Exports
India has been working on the sale of the fighter jet, but no international sales have been finalised yet. The biggest issue is that it was not combat-proven. In 2023, the Tejas lost to second-hand F-16s in an arms export deal to the Argentinian Air Force.
The future of Tejas
In September this year, the Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 62,370-crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 97 Mk1A LCA for the Indian Air Force, comprising 68 fighters and 29 twin-seaters, along with associated equipment. The Ministry said the delivery of these aircraft would begin during 2027-28 and be completed over a six-year period.
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