Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) received the first set of wing assemblies for its Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (Mk1A) programme, which has been produced by Larsen & Toubro. The wing assemblies were handed over to HAL in Coimbatore.
HAL Chairman and Managing Director D K Sunil described it as a "testament" to years of "dedicated hand-holding and a shared commitment to excellence" by the aerospace major and L&T.
"The HAL is working with suppliers, both large and SMEs, as an initiative towards achieving Aatmanirbharta in the aerospace and defence sector," he said.
"The HAL has effectively built a parallel aircraft structural assembly line in the private sector which will help in capacity augmentation of the LCA Tejas programme," he said.
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In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a ₹48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF. The ministry is also in the process of procuring 97 more LCA Mk-1As at a cost around ₹67,000 crore.
The single-engine Mk-1A will be a replacement for the IAF's MiG-21 fighters. The IAF is looking at inducting the warplanes as the number of its fighter squadrons has gone down to 31 from officially sanctioned strength of 42.
Tejas is a multi-role fighter aircraft with a single engine that can fly in high-threat airspace. It is built to perform strike, maritime reconnaissance, and air defense duties.
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