The Hindu Business Line : HAL-made Lakshya, Jaguar upgrades inducted into IAF

HAL, which is manufacturing the PTAs for the armed services, handed over the first five PTAs in the presence of the Defence Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee.

Lakshya, inducted into service in 2000, is a light aircraft meant for spying and target practice during training and is usable for 10 missions.

India is one of the few countries that can make a PTA and the target craft has good export potential, HAL officials said.

The five are part of the 27 that HAL is making at Rs 3.4 crore apiece, according to Mr Ashok Baweja, CMD, HAL.

HAL's Aircraft Division is producing the PTAs developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE).

Lakshya is powered by HAL's own PTAE 7 engine, which replaces the earlier French engine.

Fifteen of the aircraft are for the air force, five for the Navy and seven for various DRDO labs.

Lakshya was inducted into service in 2000 and went through an advanced test in May this year.

The twin-seater Jaguar upgrades of Darin II system now have enhanced strike power and combat potential and are equipped with indigenous navigation and warfare attack system or NAVWASS, according to Mr A.K. Saxena, MD, HAL Bangalore Complex.

Readied in record time, they complete the first phase of 17 aircraft upgrades that HAL was entrusted with. Four of them also made a flying display at the induction ceremony.

On the light combat aircraft, Tejas, which is being tested, Mr Baweja said that the second prototype or the fourth development aircraft would be flown within a few days.

HAL is pursuing the supply of 40 of them in two batches with the IAF, which has already ordered eight.

The Air Chief Marshal, Mr S.P. Tyagi, said that after the Jaguars, IAF may consider modernisation of the MiG 27s, MiG-29s, Mirages, and other fighters.

The Defence Minister said that the armed forces needed the modernisation and indigenisation to meet the threat perceptions of the country and this was not to trigger an arms race in South Asia.

Later, at a news conference, Mr Mukherjee allayed fears on the recent Indo-US Defence co-operation ties; this was a renewal of the 10-year broad agreement signed in 1995 and not any deal and it would not harm national interest.

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