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India in the big league: Fernandes

Union Defence Minister George Fernandes on Thursday declared that the test flight of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) here had catapulted India into the big league and made the country join a select club of nations.

He told a galaxy of scientists, technocrats and those associated with the most ambitious military aircraft project that India became one of seven to eight countries that had developed technology needed to produce such a supersonic aircraft.

"The indigenously-built LCA puts us into that orbit, from where there is no looking back. India's defence potential has gone up and will surge ahead when the tactical aircraft becomes operational with multi-role capabilities. It will be equipped with what it has to be equipped with."

Lauding achievements of the defence establishments like the Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd in proving Indian defence potentialities, Fernandes said the LCA kind of aircraft and its capabilities will make people know at last what India can achieve given the right determination and perseverance.

"Today's event has demonstrated to the world that India's skills are back where they should have been and there is no looking back in so far as the Indian aeronautical and aviation industries are concerned."

Taking a dig at skeptics of the LCA project, Fernandes said the maiden flight had put critics and cynics to rest, at least for the time being.

"I am aware that there will be cynics of the project still around; people who will be worried at the achievement of Indian aeronautical industry. Some may even become jealous and scared of our defence capabilities. We should not be unduly worried about those who get scary of our achievements in providing security to our nation and its billion people."

Thrilled over the flawless take-off and perfect landing of the maiden flight, piloted by Wing Commander Rajiv Kothiyal of the National Flight Test Centre of the ADA, Fernandes immediately informed Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of the LCA's test flight earlier in the day.

He had also conveyed the greetings and congratulations of the prime minister to the team behind the 17-year-old LCA project.

Earlier, Chief of Air Staff A Y Tipnis disclosed that the indigenously-built LCA fleet would become a frontline fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force, though it may take some more years for its induction and become operational. "Today's landmark achievement is just the end of the beginning of a dream project that took off from the drawing board over a decade ago and flew into a clear sky at the dawn of new century of the new millennium," Tipnis claimed.

Congratulating the men behind the LCA project, Tipnis said the maiden test flight was befitting the occasion as India and world enters the new millennium. "It is a red letter day in the annals of Indian aviation. It will be long remembered as a milestone in aviation history."

Tipnis also hinted that the LCA would be demonstrated in action again at the Aero Show 2001 in Bangalore next month, as well as at the Air Force Formation Day at Jaisalmer later in the year.

Scientific advisor to the defence minister V J Athre told the media later that the LCA project, including the upcoming prototypes would cost India over $1billion (Rs 46 billion), half of which has already been spent in its design and development over the years.

Athre said he was hopeful of inducting the LCA fleet into the IAF by 2010. It will cost around $17 million per aircraft. Till date, it is 70 per cent indigenous with the rest coming from overseas.

The LCA's flight test programme will be carried on during the next few years, with prototypes taking to the skies to demonstrate capabilities that will be required by the three defence forces, including the army and navy, besides the flagship service, the IAF.

"The purpose is to validate a number of advanced technologies incorporated in the LCA. These include unstable configuration, quadruplex, fly-by-wire digital flight control system, integrated avionics with glass cockpit, advanced composite materials for primary structure and a novel utility systems management system," Athre affirmed.

According to Dr Kota Harinarayan, the LCA is an advanced technology, single seat, single engine, supersonic, lightweight, all-weather, multi-role, air superiority fighter, designed for air-to-air, air-to-ground and air-to-sea combat roles.

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