The Indian Air Force celebrated the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The historic flight took place on January 4, 2001, with Wing Commander Rajiv Kothiyal piloting the Technology Demonstrator (TD-1) from Bengaluru’s HAL Airport. This milestone marked the beginning of the aircraft’s flight testing phase, leading to its eventual induction into the Indian Air Force and the development of advanced variants like the Tejas Mk1A.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) recently secured a significant order for 97 additional LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighters, valued at over Rs 62,370 crore. The government initiated the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program in 1983 to develop a new light combat aircraft to replace the IAF’s aging fleet. In a notable development, the first center fuselage assembly for Tejas Mk1A was handed over to HAL by VEM Technologies in Hyderabad in May 2025.
In March 2025, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) successfully conducted a test launch of the indigenous ASTRA Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) from the LCA AF MK1 prototype fighter aircraft. The ASTRA missile, developed by DRDO, demonstrated its capability to engage targets over 100km with advanced guidance and navigation features. Additionally, the Defence Bio-Engineering & Electro Medical Laboratory (DEBEL) conducted high-altitude trials of the Indigenous On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS)-based Integrated Life Support System (ILSS) for the LCA Tejas aircraft.
