SOURCE: IDRW.ORG TEAM
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will begin upgrades to 16 of the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) configuration LCA-Tejas Mk1 jets to the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) configuration. This upgrade will add key capabilities to the aircraft, including:
- Beyond Visual Range Missile (BVRM) capabilities
- Air-to-Air Refuelling
- Air-to-Ground FOC earmarked weapons
- General flight envelope expansion
The Initial Operational Clearance of the aircraft took place in 2013, and the first 16 single-seater LCA-Tejas Mk1 jets became operational in 2016 as part of No. 45 Squadron IAF Flying Daggers. This first squadron was used to develop tactics and flying protocols for the new fighter jets, so future pilots would have Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the jets and understand their strengths and weaknesses.
Some of the FOC features will be enabled through software upgrades, while others will require component upgrades. The Indian Air Force (IAF) also operates 16 FOC LCA-Tejas Mk1 jets, but it will be upgraded Mk1A fighter jets that will be deployed at Nal Air Base in Bikaner, Rajasthan, this year. Nal Air Base is strategically located near the Pakistan border.
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