HAL inks biggest ever pact with BEL for LCA Tejas systems
- In a major boost to Indian Defence Forces, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) inked a contract with Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the development and supply of 20 types of systems for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A.
- The Rs 2,400 crore contract is the biggest ever order that HAL has placed with any Indian firm.
Details of Contract
- The five-year contract spanning from 2023 to 2028, involves supplying critical avionics Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), flight control computers and night flying LRUs.
- Under the agreement, the supply of these systems for 83 Tejas Mk1A fighter fleet will be executed by two Divisions of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) at Bengaluru and Panchkula in Haryana.
- Further, all the contracted items will be delivered by BEL to HAL in a ready to board condition.
- Deliveries under 83 Tejas Mk1A order to the Indian Air Force (IAF) will start from FY 2023-24 onwards.
- As per the contract, the home-grown fighter jet will be equipped with indigenous flight control computers, and air data computers which would also be built by BEL.
- Notably, these critical systems have been designed and developed by various labs of DRDO and Aeronautical Development Agency, Bengaluru.
About Tejas fighter jet
- Tejas is a single-engine, highly agile multi-role supersonic fighter aircraft.
- The fighter jet has a quadruplex digital fly-by-wire Flight Control System (FCS) along with associated advanced flight control laws.
- The aircraft’s delta wing is designed for ‘air combat’ and ‘offensive air support’ with ‘reconnaissance’ and ‘anti-ship’ as its secondary roles, which allows the aircraft to operate in the high-threat air environment.
- Further, extensive use of advanced composites in the airframe provides a high strength to weight ratio, long fatigue life, and low radar signatures to the aircraft.