India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) , TEJAS is the smallest and lightest multi-role supersonic fighter aircraft of the class. A single engine, single seater and a tailess air-craft has been developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to replace the ageing fleet of Mig-21's.
Costing around 200 crore per unit, TEJAS took its first flight on 4th January, 2001 and was officially introduced in the INDIAN AIR FORCE (IAF) on 17th January, 2015. This aircraft is available in 2 versions. One for air force and the other for navy. While the IAF requires around 220 aircrafts, the NAVY has demanded 40 such aircrafts.
The LAC development programme has been largely delayed. While the design got finalised in 1990, it took 25 years for the aircraft to get introduced in the air-force and that too with a foreign engine. It is yet to get Final Operational Clearance (FOC), which is expected by late 2015.
Nevertheless, it is a great leap forward in the aim to achieve indigenousness of our defense forces.
""JAI HIND""
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