Bengaluru: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flies LCA Tejas from HAL airport
Union defence minister Rajnath Singh is the first defence minister to fly the homemade LCA Tejas
Bengaluru: Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (September 19) geared up in a G-suit to fly in the homemade light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas in Bengaluru. He is the first defence minister to fly this aircraft.
Taking to Twitter, the defence minister said, "Flying on ‘Tejas’, an Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft from Bengaluru’s HAL Airport was an amazing and exhilarating experience", along with pictures of him in the G-suit.
Flying on ‘Tejas’, an Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft from Bengaluru’s HAL Airport was an amazing and exhilarating experience.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 19, 2019
Tejas is a multi-role fighter with several critical capabilities. It is meant to strengthen India’s air defence capabilities. pic.twitter.com/jT95afb0O7
The 68-year-old defence minister would fly a sortie in the twin-seater version of Tejas from the HAL airport in the city after a briefing by Indian Air Force pilots.
On September 18, Singh shared a piece of information on his Twitter and said that he would attend programmes organised by HAL and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Bengaluru.
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After his flight in LCA Tejas, the defence minister is set to attend an exhibition of the products of the DRDO in the city.
LCA Tejas became the first aircraft in India to successfully perform an "arrested landing" in Goa on September 13. The naval version of the LCA is in the development stage.