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IAF inducts first squadron of LCA Tejas

The commissioning of the India-made fighter planes comes more than three decades after LCA went into development.

By :  vittal shastri
Update: 2016-07-01 12:12 GMT
Reaching a major milestone in military aviation, the Indian Air Force on Friday launched the first squadron of 'Made-in-India' Light Combat Aircraft Tejas fighter jets. LCA will eventually replace the ageing fleet of MiG-21 planes.
All squadrons of Tejas will be made up of 20 planes, including four in reserve. As per the plan, 20 would be inducted under the \"Initial Operational Clearance\" and another 20 later with Beyond Visual Range Missile (BVR) and certain other features.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had earlier this month said that next year I think two MiG-21 squadrons are being decommissioned. This will go into initially replacing them.
IAF, which plans to induct six aircraft this financial year and about eight in the next, has said Tejas will feature in its combat plan next year and would be deployed in forward bases also.
A 'Sarva Dharma Pooja' (inter-faith prayer) was conducted before the induction. Such worships are customary at inductions and before staff training sessions, according to ANI reports.
The aircraft was named \"Tejas\" (meaning radiance in Sanskrit) by Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister. The squadron will be based in Bengaluru for the first two years before it is moved to Sulur in Tamil Nadu.
A Tejas aircraft flown by Commanding Officer Group Captain Madhav Rangachari performed a sortie during the induction ceremony, attended by Air Marshal Jasbir Walia, Air Officer Commanding-in Chief, Southern Air Command and senior HAL executives.
The LCA squadron-induction ceremony was held at the Aircraft System Testing Establishment in Bengaluru in the presence of Air Marshal Jasbir Walia, Air Officer Commanding-in Chief, Southern Air Command.
The commissioning of the India-made fighter planes comes more than three decades after LCA went into development.

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