Final Operational Clearance of LCA Tejas MK I for Indian Air Force

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : February 20, 2019, became a significant day in the journey of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas MK I for Indian Air Force (IAF), when the formal declaration of Final Operational Clearance (FOC) of the aircraft was made by Secretary Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy.

The day also witnessed the handing over of FOC Certificate and Release to Service Document (RSD) to the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa in the presence of Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited R Madhavan.

FOC involves addition of key capabilities to the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) aircraft which are Beyond Visual Range Missile capabilities. Air-to-Air Refuelling, Air-to-Ground FOC earmarked weapons and general flight envelope expansion.

The RSD provides the capabilities, features and technologies that FOC standard Aircraft will have on Induction into IAF. The FOC standard Aircraft drawings have already been handed over to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to start production after incorporating key changes over the IOC standard Aircraft.

Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) of the aircraft took place in the year 2013 and IOC standard Aircraft were inducted into IAF No. 45 Squadron, in July 2016. The IAF Squadron has since flown over 1500 sorties successfully on the Aircraft, according to a PIB release.