Last updated on December 3rd, 2023 at 01:52 am
97 Tejas Fighter Jets: In a significant development, the Union Defence Ministry has given the green light for the acquisition of 97 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (Mark 1A) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Additionally, the ministry has approved the procurement of 156 Prachand Combat helicopters, comprising 90 Army helicopters and 66 IAF helicopters. Both the Tejas aircraft and Prachand helicopters are domestically produced and represent a combined value of Rs 1.1 lakh crore. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari hailed the decision as a “landmark event.”
Chief Marshal Chaudhari highlighted the strategic impact of this move, stating, “We already had 40 LCAs of the original IOC and FOC version. So with this, in the long run, the strength of the Indian Air Force will grow to 220 LCA Mark 1As, which will equip almost ten squadrons of the Air Force.”
He emphasized the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft as an “ideal fit” to replace the depleting strength of the jets, considering the retirement of the MiG 21, MiG 27, and MiG 23 fleets in the recent past.
The Tejas Mark-1A is a domestically designed, developed, and manufactured fighter aircraft, boasting more than 65 percent indigenous components. The Defence Acquisition Council, led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has also given the green signal for the upgrade program of the Indian Air Force’s Su-30 fighter aircraft.
