"Process for getting certification for Tejas on right track":Baweja

Bangalore, Feb 8 (UNI) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited today said that it had taken over project management of the multirole Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and the process for getting the aircraft for certification in 2008 was on right track.

Disclosing this at a press conference at 'Aero India 2007' at the Yelahanka IAF air base, HAL Chairman Ashok K Baweja said that the first of the eight limited series production will fly this month and four more would roll out this year. Admitting that there was a slippage in the development of LCA, he said that more number of aircraft would be put on flying mode to hasten the certification process.

Already five LCAs were flying and they have logged over 300 hrs of flight.

He said development of such aircraft was a complex one and some countries had abandoned such projects. However India was committed to have its own LCA and the process was on. ''If not 2008 the certification would come through in 2009'', he added.

Commenting on HAL's future programs, he said that the company would shortly sign up with the Ilushyn Design Bureau and Irkut Aircraft Corporation of Russia for 60 tonne multirole transport aircraft with an investment of around 600 million US dollars.

Similarly HAL was also conceptualising the fifth generation fighter aircraft to be taken up at a five billion dollar budget.

MORE UNI