Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), public sector aircraft maker, expects the final operational clearance (FOC) of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) air force version and initial operational clearance of Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) shortly.

HAL is celebrating its 75th year of inception. T Srinivasa Raju Chairman and Managing Director said: “We are trying to make LCA Mk-I get FOC immediately after fixing the requirements of the IAF. The LCA Mk-II will be achieved by 2021.”

The deployment of LCA in IAF had been delayed due to delay in the aircraft achieving the FoC as well as IAF expressing dissatisfaction over undercarriage and weapon deployment platforms.

“We are working overtime in view of the squadron strength of IAF depleting, and its intent to operationally utilise the indigenously developed combat aircraft.

“HAL took the lead and it will comply certain modifications and bring in some features into it as required by the IAF,” Raju explained. The 75-year-old journey has been fulfilling for HAL but we have more on our agenda by emerging as a major exporter of defence avionics.

“Not withstanding our main customer the Indian defence services, we are also focusing on diversifying our customer profile to non-defence sector also,” he said.

HAL has also revived the flying of now stalled Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), developed in-house. Raju said the company is a major contributor of indigenous technology lining up 15 aircraft, including combat aircraft, helicopters and other platforms.

He said the HAL has an order book of ₹60,000 crore with the country’s defence sector being the main client and focus was to cater to their requirements.

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