IAF chief flies his last sortie in Tejas fighter

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh concluded his career on Sunday by piloting the Tejas light combat aircraft from Jodhpur airbase. This marked the final sortie before his retirement, set for October 31, according to officials familiar with the situation. The flight occurred during the multilateral combat exercise Tarang Shakti, which brought attention to the LCA Mk-1A's capabilities, signalling a new era in India's indigenous fighter jet history.

The LCA Mk-1A is poised for induction into the IAF after facing delays. Both the IAF and the state-run aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are optimistic that this locally designed single-engine fighter will join the fleet by the end of the year. The aircraft the chief flew, the LCA Mk-1, is the first variant of the Tejas series.

Currently, the IAF operates 30 Mk-1 models and eight trainers. These aircraft are in the initial operational clearance (IOC) and the more advanced final operational clearance (FOC) configurations, representing the early versions of the Tejas fighter.

The IAF showcased its prowess at Tarang Shakti, a multilateral exercise involving 150 Indian and foreign aircraft and representing eight air forces and 32 observer nations. The exercise concluded on Monday, with the participating aircraft conducting over 600 sorties, accumulating approximately 800 flying hours. Among the foreign participants were F-35s, F-16s, Rafales, A400Ms, A330 MRTT (multi-role tanker transport), KC-135s, C-130s, and other specialized platforms, demonstrating the global participation and commitment to the exercise's objectives.