Rohan Ramesh

There was tangible excitement in the air and relieved looks on the faces of personnel belonging to the LCA Tejas design and development teams as the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL’s) baby LCA Tejas MKI achieved Final Operational Capability (FOC) at last on a warm spring evening in Bengaluru at Aero India 2019. Decades since its conception, the Tejas MKI was accepted into service by the Indian Air Force (IAF) after gaining FOC issued by Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).

Light Combat Aircraft Tejas

Various Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) agencies such as ADE, GTRE, LRDE, CEMILAC etc., as well as other players such as BEL, CSIR, DG-AQA, and private sector firms have had a hand in the making of a fighter that is today called LCA Tejas.

In the presence of defence secretary Sanjay Mitra and Chairman and Managing Director of HAL R. Madhavan, FOC certificate and Release to Service Document (RSD) were handed over to the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa.

Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) of the aircraft was given in the year 2013 and in July 2016, IO