A light combat aircraft Tejas crashed near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on Tuesday during an operational training sortie, the first such incident involving the indigenously-built jet.

IAF’s LCA Tejas Crashes Near Jaisalmer

A light combat aircraft Tejas crashed near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on Tuesday during an operational training sortie, the first such incident involving the indigenously-built jet. However, the pilot was ejected safely and no casualties were reported. The LCA Tejas was part of the 18th Squadron of the Indian Air Force and participated in the tri-services exercise Bharat Shakti in Pokharan before crashing in Jaisalmer city.

Prima Facie, it is emerging that the engine failure caused the crash but more details would be known only after the detailed inquiry is completed, defence officials told ANI. The Light Combat Aircraft Tejas is a domestically produced supersonic aircraft. Initiated by the Government of India in 1984, the Light Combat Aircraft program led to the establishment of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to oversee its development.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited spearheaded the design and development of the aircraft. In 2003, the aircraft was officially named ‘Tejas,’ which means ‘radiance’ in Sanskrit, by then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is the second supersonic fighter jet developed by HAL (the first one being HAL HF-24 Marut).

Top speed: 2,205 km/h

Engine types: Turbofan, General Electric F404

Manufacturer: HAL

Weight: 6,500 kg

First flight: 4 January 2001

Range: 3,000 km

Earlier last month, a Hawk trainer aircraft of the IAF met with an accident during a training sortie in West Bengal. The plane crashed in the civilian area near the Kalaikunda Air Force Station. However, there was no loss of life or damage to any civilian property. Both the pilots ejected safely.