Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has come out with a clarification regarding the delivery of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A to the Indian Air Force (IAF), saying five aircraft are fully ready for delivery, incorporating major contracted capabilities in accordance with the agreed specifications.
In a statement issued, HAL said it wishes to clarify the status of LCA Mk1A deliveries to the customer for all stakeholders. Apart from the five fighter jets that are ready, “An additional nine aircraft have already been built and flown. Upon receipt of engines from GE, these aircraft will be made ready for delivery,” the state-run company said.
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The company confirmed that all design and development issues that were identified are being addressed in a timely manner, and added that it is in discussions with the IAF to deliver the aircraft at the earliest.
The company said it received five engines from GE as of date and added that the “supply position from GE is positive, and the future delivery outlook aligns with HAL’s delivery plans.”
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The company assured that it will meet the guidance projected for the current financial year.
The clarification from HAL comes even as a report said the IAF will review the LCA Mk1A combat aircraft project in May before deciding on the acceptance of the delivery of the fighter jets.
The IAF, which is facing a shortage of fighter jet squadrons, has ordered as many as 180 combat aircraft from HAL.
In September, while signing a contract with the state-run company, the Defence Ministry had clarified that the aircraft will have an indigenous content of over 64 per cent. “The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators will further strengthen the Aatmanirbharta initiatives,” the defence ministry had then said.
