A few days ago, during a post-earnings press conference, Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Ravi Kota announced that the state-owned company hopes to begin deliveries of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A fighter jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF) by August or September.
"We are hopeful that by August-September we should be able to start the delivery," he said, and added that the fighter jet programme was "moving in a very positive direction".
Even as the delay in the delivery of the aircraft to the IAF continues, media reports reveal that the force is ready to accept the jets with certain concessions if the DPSU can ensure all important capabilities of the aircraft related to sensors, firing, and electronic warfare suit at the time of the delivery.
“While the IAF is willing to accept the aircraft even if certain capabilities are not yet fully available, this may require a modification of the contract. That falls under the ministry of defence’s ambit,” The Business Standard quoted a defence source as saying.
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The source explained that, for instance, even if a fighter jet is equipped with certain electronic warfare features but the required level of automation has not yet been fully integrated, the IAF may still consider accepting the aircraft, as long as the complete capability is delivered within a reasonable timeframe.
The source added that pilots in earlier-generation fighter aircraft routinely handled such functions manually, making it a manageable interim arrangement for the IAF.
A few months ago, HAL informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence that five aircraft were ready for delivery. During the briefing, HAL’s chairman and managing director said the integration of the radar and DWU had been completed, along with successful trials of the ASRAAM air-to-air missile and the Astra beyond-visual-range missile system.
