LCA Tejas Very Competent With World-Class Missiles: IAF Officials

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is a very competent aircraft outfitted with world-class missiles, Group Captain Syamantak Roy said on Friday. 

“Due to the location of the Sular Air Force Base on the southern peninsula, we may reach not only over land in the north and east but also over water in the east, west and south. As a result, we have extremely good combat force projection capabilities across the nation,” Roy added.

He also said that the aircraft's arsenal of weapons is incredible, enhancing its combat prowess and making it rather lethal in its targeted use.

The LCA is designed to carry both long-range beyond the optical range and short-term thermal missiles, both of which are of the highest calibre, according to him.

Tejas, as a multirole aircraft, carry 1000-pound conventional bombs coupled with laser-guided bombs for precision targeting and overall air-to-air as well as air-to-ground weapons.

According to Roy, in terms of cost, at present, approximately 60 per cent of the components are indigenious and in terms of cost, it is close to 75 per cent.

LCA Tejas group captain M. Surendran, who is also a pilot, said that the aircraft is currently with the Indian Air Force and is fully operational and ready to deploy for any job under the Indian Air Force.