Tejas goes abroad

Chacko Joseph from Frontier India handed me this very interesting story from Avionews (link).

With India's presence in the Aviation world increasing in leaps and bounds with the MRCA tender, as well as indigenous aircraft programs, its logical that Indian presence at air shows too increase. Confirmation of this came with the news that the shining star of Indian Aviation, the HAL Tejas will be travelling to Germany and will be displayed at the Berlin Air Show, ILA-2008. Read more below.

Avionews, 25th Jan 2008, Friday.

"ILA 2008": India announces strong presence as partner country at the air show

Berlin, Germany - Numerous delegations from politics, business and the military expected to attend

(WAPA) - "India will be the partner country at the ILA2008 and has announced a strong presence at the show. From 27 May to 1 June , in reply to an invitation by Federal Minister of Defence Dr. Franz Josef Jung, representatives of one of Asia’s fastest growing markets will be organising an attractive combined national display at the International Aerospace Exhibition. This was confirmed by India’s defence minister Arackaparambil Kurian Antony in talks with his German counterpart.

Some 25 Indian companies will be presenting their displays in an area covering 1,200 square metres. They include Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), companies and organisations such as Bharat, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), DRDO (Defence Research & Development Organisation) and India’s aerospace association SIATI. Among other exhibits, HAL is planning to show a single-jet trainer, the HJT-36 Sitara, as well as a lightweight fighter, and a lightweight civilian and military helicopter, the Dhruv, displaying it on the ground and in the air. The Suryakiran (Sun Ray) aerobatics display team of the Indian Air Force will also be demonstrating their skills. High-ranking delegations from politics, business and the military will also be visiting the ILA.
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The ILA2008 is organised jointly by the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) and Messe Berlin GmbH, and takes place every two years at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport". (Avionews)

So, thats the news folks... our baby, the LCA Tejas is finally going abroad. You may remember the plans to display the Tejas in the Paris Air Show last year. Those plans didn't fructify, much to our disappointment. Of course, DRDO had something else in store for us, conducting intensive flight trials at Dabolim in Goa.

If you're wondering which is this ILA which we've never heard of, its the German name for the Berlin Air Show - "Internationale Luft- und Raumfahrtausstellung" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Air_Show).

In a way, the LCA's debut in Germany is befitting. After all, it was the great German aircraft Designer, Dr. Kurt Tank, who helped design our first aircraft, the HF-24 Marut.

Unlike last year, when the LCA was still an unfinished aircraft, this time, the LCA goes prepared. It has fired a missile, been integrated with the LITENING targeting pod, and having made a night flight. It will be joined by the HJT-36 'Sitara' and the Dhruv, both wanting to shake off their ill-fated displays at Aero India-2007. They have impressed international audiences before. Let us hope that the Tejas too does that.

In addition, the air show will give an opportunity for IAF Pilots and DRDO Scientists to check out the Eurofighter Typhoon, which will participate in the 126 Aircraft MMRCA tender. Also expected to attend will be the Swedish Gripen, which was also present at Aero India-2007.