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The Indian Air Force said on Saturday that the Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will make its debut in a multilateral air exercise in the United Arab Emirates. The Indian Air Force will send five LCA and two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to participate in the exercise.
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An IAF contingent of 110 air fighters arrived at Al Dhafra air base in the UAE on Saturday for the eighth Desert Flag exercise, the IAF said. The exercise is scheduled to run from February 27 to March 17.
“This is the first time LCA Tejas has participated in an international flight exercise outside India. Exercise Desert Flag is a multilateral air exercise that will also involve air forces from the UAE, France, Kuwait, Australia, UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, Republic of Korea and the US. The purpose of the exercise is to engage different fighter jets and learn best practices from various Air Forces,” the Air Force said in a statement.
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Tejas made his debut last year during an aerial exercise abroad. It was originally scheduled to participate in the “Cobra Warrior 22” multinational air exercise in Waddington, UK from March 6 to 27, 2022, but it was canceled due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. LCA has participated in many foreign air shows, but has never participated in foreign actual combat exercises.
India believes the aircraft has good export potential. It is in talks with Egypt and Argentina over the possible sale of fighter jets to their air forces, as the country focuses more on gaining a foothold in foreign markets and boosting its defense exports. India has set a target of $5 billion worth of defense exports by 2025.
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The IAF has already inducted several of the 40 early models of the LCA, ordered 83 of the improved Mk-1A in 2021, and is now considering ordering the aircraft’s newest variant, the LCA Mk-2.
In 2021, the Ministry of Defense awarded ¥Signed a Rs 48,000 crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the purchase of 83 LCA Mk-1A jets for the Indian Air Force. The first Mk-1A aircraft will be delivered in February 2024, with the remainder joining the operational fleet in 2029. Last year, the government agreed to develop the LCA Mk-2, a platform that will form the future of air combat.
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