LCA naval prototype takes flight

Naval version of the LCA-Tejas programme got a major fillip when the second LCA Naval prototype took to the skies from HAL here at the weekend. The Naval Prototype (NP2) made its maiden flight for about 35 minutes.

T Suvarna Raju, Chairman, HAL, said efforts of engineers of the Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) for the landing gear design, which is different from the Air Force version, made the flight possible.

The flight was piloted by Captain Shivnath Dahiya, a test pilot from the Navy with the National Flight Test Centre (NFTC). The chase aircraft cover was provided by limited series production (LSP2) of the LCA.

The design teams were guided by P S Subramanyam, Programme Director, Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). The teams were supported by the certification agency, CEMILAC (Center for Military Airworthiness & Certification) and the quality assurance agency, CRI (LCA), Indian Navy, DRDO agencies, CSIR agencies (NAL and Central Scientific Instruments Organisation or CSIO), other public and private sector participants.

The event marks the growth of indigenous LCA (Navy) programme, aimed at achieving carrier compatibility technology demonstration, including arrested landing and ski-Jump take off, initially from shore-based test facility, Goa.

"With one trainer and fighter in its stable "the indigenous carrier-borne fighter programme is making headway and is acquiring momentum"," said a release from HAL.

According to the ADA LCA (Navy) Programme Office, the NP 2 as a flight test platform addresses several systemic deficiencies observed whilst making progress on flight test of Naval Prototype 1. It incorporates most avionic hardware components promised to the customer, the Indian Navy. "During design and build, the NP 2 has been customised to accept modifications for carrier landing aids," the office added. The inclusion of NP 2 into the LCA (Navy) flight test stable is a significant milestone in the indigenous Carrier borne aircraft development programme, the release said.