SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
While the LCA-Navy is being used as a Technology Demonstrator programme for the development of the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), idrw.org has been told by sources close to the programme that the Navy is still evaluating the aircraft and may consider it for other roles (Trainer) after the NP5 Trainer aircraft is completed.
NP5 has been under assembly and will be used to conduct off-nominal landing trials to study and collect data on the stress points on the landing gears, which will be critical in the development of landing gears for the TEDBF programme.
The LCA-Navy MkI was created as a Technology Demonstrator for the larger LCA-Navy MkII (16.5 tonnes) Single Engine Deck-based fighter jet, but it was later abandoned in favour of the Twin-engined TEDBF (26 tonnes).
The Aeronautical Development Agency and the Indian Navy were in talks about producing eight LCA-Navy Trainer aircraft to train future fighter pilots for operating Mig-29K, Rafale M, and TEDBF fighters, but the Navy has yet to make a final decision on this proposal.
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