Bengaluru: Public sector aviation company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Thursday set 2022 as its target for the first flight of the Light Combat Aircraft Mk 1A, an upgraded version of its flagship Tejas aircraft, trying to put to rest questions on its ability to keep up production pace on a par with the growing demands of the Indian defence forces.
The announcement coming a day after the much delayed LCA programme was given its final operational clearance as well as the aircraft being certified as combat ready at the ongoing Aero India, the biennial air show in Bengaluru.
“The first flight of the LCA Mk1A will happen in 2022,” R. Madhavan, chairman and managing director of the company, said on Thursday.
