Article Posted on : - Nov 23, 2009

BANGLAORE (BNS): The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to order a second Tejas squadron to augment its dwindling fighter fleet after retiring the old MiG-21s.

National daily, Business Standard, quoted senior officers as saying that the IAF was ordering a second Tejas squadron (20 aircraft) in addition to the 20 fighters already on order.

According to the report, the order for a second squadron is a crucial step taken by the IAF towards accepting the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The development has been confirmed by Ashok Nayak, chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd which will manufacture the Tejas.

The Tejas light combat aircraft design and development programme is being led by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of the Indian Department of Defence with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the prime industrial contractor.

Tejas, the smallest lightweight, multirole, single-engined tactical fighter aircraft in the world, is being developed as a single seat fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force and also as a two-seat training aircraft.