An Indian Air Force aircraft crashed in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on Tuesday. The Indian Air Force’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas crashed near Jaisalmer while on an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely.
In response to the event, the Indian Air Force issued a statement: “One Tejas aircraft of the Indian Air Force met with an accident near Jaisalmer today during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected successfully. A Court of Inquiry has been established to investigate the cause of the accident.”
The recent crash marks the first incident involving the indigenous jet since its inaugural flight 23 years ago. The Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, a domestically produced supersonic aircraft utilized by the Indian military, is at the centre of this mishap. Initiated by the Government of India in 1984, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program led to the establishment of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to oversee its development. HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), India’s own aerospace company, spearheaded the design and development of the LCA Tejas. In 2003, the program was officially dubbed ‘Tejas,’ which translates to ‘radiance’ in Sanskrit, by then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is the second supersonic fighter jet developed by HAL (the first one being HAL HF-24 Marut).
Earlier last month, a Hawk trainer aircraft of the IAF met with an accident during a training sortie in West Bengal. The plane crashed in the civilian area near the Kalaikunda Air Force Station. However, there was no loss of life or damage to any civilian property. Both the pilots ejected safely.
Get the latest news updates and stay informed with FELA NEWS!
(Source: HT)
