New Delhi: Tejas, India's first indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), which is all set to replace the MiG-21 series, is a result of several years of design and development work from the DRDO.
It was cleared to enter operational service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) on December 20.
The principal partner of LCA is Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and its divisions located in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Nasik, and Korwa.
The Defence Ministry has sanctioned Rs 1,556 crore for HAL's high-tech production line that aims to build 12 Tejas fighters each year.
The funds will come from the IAF (25 per cent); the navy (25 per cent), while HAL will put up half the money.
Now Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) faces the daunting transition from handcrafting Tejas prototypes into factory-assembling the 200-fighter Tejas fleet.
