Bengaluru: The first aircraft LA5033 of the Tejas Mk1A Aircraft series successfully took to the skies from the HAL facility here on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in the production process.
Despite facing challenges in the global supply chain due to geopolitical factors, HAL managed to achieve this milestone while concurrently designing and developing the aircraft.
CB Ananthakrishnan, CMD of HAL, emphasised the importance of this achievement in light of the challenges faced.
"HAL achieved this significant production milestone with concurrent design and development amid major supply chain challenges in the global geo-political environment subsequent to the contract signature in February 2021," he added.
The 18-minute sortie was piloted by Chief Test Pilot, Group Captain KK Venugopal (Retd).
HAL expressed gratitude to various stakeholders including the Ministry of Defence, Indian Air Force, DRDO/ADA, CEMILAC, DGAQA, and MSMEs for their contributions to the success of the Tejas Mk1A programme.
The Tejas Mk1A is expected to boast advanced electronic radar, warfare, communication systems, additional combat capabilities, and improved maintenance features, enhancing its overall performance and effectiveness.
