Tejas Crashes In Jaisalmer In First Accident Involving Indigenous LCA, No Casualties

A Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) of the Indian Air Force crashed near a residential colony in Jaisalmer on Tuesday while returning from a tri-services military exercise in Pokhran desert in the first accident involving the indigenously-built single-engine jet since it began flying in 2001. There were no casualties.

The pilot ejected safely, it said.

A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.

"A Light Combat Aircraft Tejas of the Indian Air Force crashed near Jaisalmer today during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely," the IAF said in a brief statement.

The crash took place around 100 km from the Pokhran desert in Rajasthan where a mega war game 'Bharat Shakti' witnessed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top military brass was underway.

The jet, belonging to the IAF's No 18 squadron or 'Flying Bullets', showcased its operational prowess along with two other Tejas aircraft in the war game, military sources said adding the aircraft was returning after flying in a formation.

It is learnt that the aircraft was on its way back to the Jaisalmer air base.

Tejas was given initial operational clearance in 2011 and it was inducted into the IAF in 2016.

Manufactured by state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the Tejas aircraft is a potent platform for air combat and offensive air support missions while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are its secondary roles.

The Tejas aircraft came under some scrutiny when one of the jets developed a technical snag during a sortie in October 2020.

The IAF received the first two Tejas aircraft having the initial operational clearance (IOC) configuration on July 1, 2016, after a wait of over three decades.

The final operational clearance (FOC) configuration of the aircraft was announced in February 2019.

Tejas aircraft are set to be the mainstay of the IAF.

In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF.