LCA's Naval version prepares to roll out

New Delhi / Bangalore, June 25 (ANI): India's first indigenous Naval Light Combat Aircraft, the LCA (Navy) NP1 is scheduled to roll out from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) design hangar on July 6.

The Defence Ministry has said that the aircraft will be an important milestone for the prestigious Naval Program of Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bangalore.

The Chief of The Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma would be the Chief Guest at the function.

'Roll-Out' is a significant milestone when the aircraft is brought out of the build hangar, where the aircraft is actually assembled part by part, ready for the phase of systems integration tests leading to Ground runs, taxi trials and flight.

Once the ground based tests are completed, the NP1 is expected to fly by the end of this year and the NP2 is likely to fly by the end of 2011.

The aircraft, with state of the art technologies and punch, is designed to operate from the future Indigenous aircraft carriers the Navy plans to acquire.

The LCA (Navy) program was sanctioned by the Government in 2003.

The first stage of development includes design and fabrication of one Trainer and one Fighter, NP1 and NP2 respectively, along with a Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) at Goa.

The SBTF will be used to simulate carrier take off and arrested landing.

The NP1 would be flying with the GE-F-404-IN20 engine and is designed for ski jump take off and arrested landing.

The only carrier borne aircraft in the light category in the world, it will be operating with a wide variety of operational weapons and equipment like the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile, Anti-ship Missiles, Conventional bombs, Air Defence guns, CCM's and drop tanks.

The Indian Navy, the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), in the development of its aircraft, have played an important role right from its inception supporting the program. (ANI)