LCA Tejas Navy makes arrested landing, clears a critical landing trial for Indian Navy
The naval variant of the homemade Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas became the first aircraft in India to successfully perform and making a wire-arrested landing at Goa’s Shore-based Test Facility (SBTF) INS Hansa. This step is the major step in the programme to make the jet ready for service with the Navy.
“The first ever arrested landing of LCA (Navy) at the shore-based test facility, INS Hansa, Goa, took place which will pave the way for this indigenous platform to undertake Aircraft Carrier landing demonstration on board the Indian Naval Aircraft Carrier, Vikramaditya,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
According to DRDO officials, this test involved various years of flight testing and four campaigns. The Flight Test Team led by Cmde JA Maolankar (Chief Test Pilot), Capt Shivnath Dahiya (LSO) & Cdr J D Raturi (Test Director) who successfully executed an arrested landing at the Shore Based Test Facility.
“This `arrested landing’ heralds the arrival of true indigenous capability and the professional prowess of our scientific community Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) embedded with the design plus build capability of HAL(ARDC), DRDO and CSIR Labs involved in executing this landmark event,” DRDO officials added.
“After several years of flight testing and four campaigns of dedicated testing at Shore Based Test facility Goa, today the LCA (Navy) Flight Test Team led by Commodore JA Maolankar (Chief Test Pilot), Captain Shivnath Dahiya (LSO) and Commander JD Raturi (Test Director) successfully executed a textbook arrested landing at the Shore Based Test Facility, INS Hansa, Goa. This arrested landing heralds the arrival of true indigenous capability and displays the professional prowess of our scientific community Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) embeded with design plus build capability of HAL(ARDC), DRDO and CSIR Labs involved in executing this landmark event,” the defence agency said.