By Rohit Srivastava

The under development naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft –Tejas made its maiden carrier landing on INS Vikramaditya today at 1000 hrs, a statement said.

Congratulating Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh said, “This successful landing is a great event in the history of Indian Fighter aircraft development programme.”

The LCA-Navy has undergone extensive trials on the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF), Goa.

“With this feat, the indigenously developed niche technologies specific to deck-based fighter operations have been proven, which will now pave the way to develop and manufacture the twin engine deck-based fighter for the Indian Navy,” Indian Navy said in a tweet.

The LCA-Navy is being development by team comprised of DRDO and Aeronautical Development Agency(ADA). The prototype has been made at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The naval version, based on the single engine LCA developed for the Indian Air Force, is designed to absorb the force of arrested landing and short takeoff from the ski jump of a carrier.

Indian Navy is expected to induct the twin engine version of the LCA Navy. The single engine version will remain a technology demonstrator.