[url="http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/lca-to-get-initial-operational-clearance-by-year-end-antony/84724/on"]LCA to get initial operational clearance by year-end: Antony[/url]
Quote:Press Trust of India / Bangalore February 02, 2010, 15:05 ISTStrongly backing the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) programme, Defence Minister A K Antony today said the LCA would obtain Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) by this year-end.
Antony said that when he took over as Defence Minister, there was "all round scepticism" about the project, with critics ââ¬â apparently referring to "inordinate delay" and technological challenges ââ¬â questioning its continuation and dubbing it a "total failure".
"All the doubting Thomases have proved to be wrong", he said after witnessing the flight display of the twin-seater trainer version prototype (PV5) and another belonging to the limited series production-2 of the LCA programme.
"Today I can assure you with confidence....I can declare at last LCA is going to be a reality", Antony said, adding the IOC of Tejas would take place by December this year and final clearance by the end of 2012.
He said the LCA has completed all its trials as well as at the sea-level. IAF has already placed orders for delivery of 20 LCAs. Orders for another 20 has been cleared (by the ministry), for which the Cabinet nod would be sought.
Antony said the Cabinet Committee on Security had sanctioned nearly Rs 8,000 crore for further development of the LCA programme in terms of air and naval versions and new engine.
[url="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=in%2F0_0_s_9_0_t&usg=AFQjCNGozjidOMcB4cGN2PVwj6NHybeq8w&cid=8797493558383&ei=K3FoS6KSIYz-lQS7sqjBAw&rt=MORE_COVERAGE&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsonair.com%2Fnews.asp%3Fcat%3Dnational%26id%3DNN2727"]Cabinet outlays Rs 8000 crore for development of LCA[/url]
Quote:Feb 2, 2010 All India Radio -
Defence Minister AK Antony witnessed the demonstration flight of 5th prototype of light combat aircraft, LCA, trainer version in Bangalore on Tuesday. Terming the flight demonstration as historic he appreciated the contribution of various organisations
Defence Minister A K Anthony cleared the uncertainty over the future of Light Combat Aircraft LCA, by announcing in Bangalore today that Government will provide all essential impetus for the progress of this project.
Addressing the press after witnessing air display by LCA fighter, the Defence Minister termed the flight display as historic and appreciated efforts of Aeronautical Development Agency and other stake holders for designing and developing LCA within the country.
He disclosed that LCA which has cleared all weather operations capability tests would be getting Final Operational Clearance by 2012. The Defence Minister later inaugurated ââ¬ËDigital Flight Control Computerââ¬â¢ manufacturing facility in BEL.
AIR Correspondent Sudhindra reports from Bangalore that today was an occasion to rejoice for our Countrymen, as number of indigenized weapon systems and fighter aircrafts were operationalised and successfully flight tested. The Defence Minister continuously stressed this point on the importance of indegenisation, during his programmes in DRDO and BEL today in Bangalore.
He proudly announced that Akash surface to air medium range missiles developed within the country has been whole heartedly welcomed by our Air Force and additional order has been placed for 750 of them apart from 250 acquired earlier. He also disclosed that Airforce has placed an order for 20 additional LCAs apart from an order of 20 placed earlier. He also welcomed Navy for replacing imported sonars and radars with the one manufactured by BEL.
The Minister however regretted that non availability of advanced technologies indigenously compels the country to import nearly 70 % of our defence procurements. He wished that Indian industry in the Public and Private sector will reduce our over dependence on external sources which are undependable during the time of crisis.
[url="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h4OEnZovTkvgCGpBef1olKqMIXDQ"]India declares indigenous combat jet a success[/url]
Quote: BANGALORE ââ¬â India's defence minister announced Tuesday that a much-delayed project to build an indigenous supersonic combat aircraft was a success.
The jets are intended to become the country's frontline combat plane by 2020.
A.K. Antony told reporters the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) -- billed by India as the world's smallest warjet -- would be cleared for limited flights by the end of 2010.
"Today I can declare that at last the LCA is going to be a reality," Antony said in the southern city of Bangalore where the locally built plane had been on the design board since 1983 when the multi-billion dollar project began.
The minister said the aircraft, powered by engines supplied by US-based General Electrics, would be ready for full induction into the military by 2012.
"All the doubting Thomases have proved to be wrong," Antony said, referring to sceptics who doubted that the combat jet would ever take off.
Antony said the Indian Air Force had already placed an initial order for 20 of the jets.
Although the first LCA prototype rolled out in 1995, the project hit an air pocket three years later when the United States and other Western governments slapped a slew of sanctions on India in retaliation for its 1998 nuclear tests.
The LCA won the nickname "last chance aircraft" <img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/angry.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':angry:' /> because of the delays.
India's first attempt in the 1950s to make an indigenous fighter plane failed after it built a limited number of ground attack planes that fell far short of military specifications