Friday 07 / February / 2025
New Delhi: In a display of jointness among the defence forces and support for Aatmanirbharta, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi would be flying a sortie in the trainer version of the LCA Tejas fighter aircraft at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka in Bengaluru on Sunday.
The Army Chief and the Air Force Chief are course mates from the National Defence Academy.
The two chiefs would be flying together in the LCA Tejas fighter aircraft on Sunday a day before the beginning of the Aero India air show in Bengaluru. This would be to showcase the support for the indigenous and Made in India weapon systems by the defence forces of the country, defence officials told ANI.
The LCA Tejas aircraft to be used for the sortie is a trainer version of the indigenous aircraft manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also undertaken a sortie in November 2023.
Following the sortie, PM Modi said in a post on X, "Successfully completed a sortie on the Tejas. The experience was incredibly enriching, significantly bolstering my confidence in our country's indigenous capabilities, leaving me with a renewed sense of pride and optimism about our national potential."
The Indian Air Force has already inducted around 40 of these planes and is looking to add another 83 LCA Mark 1As in the near future.
The supply of these aircraft have been delayed by a few months due to the supply chain issues faced by the engine maker GE of the US.
The Indian Air Force is also looking to add another 97 of these planes as a follow on of the 83 aircraft.
