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India Defence Online, New Delhi – The first test flight of the first indigenous Naval Light Combat Aircraft, the LCA (Navy) NP1, will be conducted on July 6 by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
A press release issued by the Indian defence ministry said, it will be an important milestone for the prestigious naval programme of Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bangalore.
The Chief of The Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma would be the Chief Guest at the function. ‘Roll-Out’ is a significant milestone when the aircraft is brought out of the build hangar (where the aircraft is actually assembled part by part), ready for the phase of systems integration tests leading to Ground runs, taxi trials and flight. Once the ground based tests are completed, the NP1 is expected to fly by the end of this year. The NP2 is likely to fly by the end of 2011. The aircraft, with state of the art technologies and punch, is designed to operate from the future Indigenous aircraft carriers the Navy plans to acquire.
The LCA (Navy) programme was sanctioned by the Government in 2003. The first stage of development includes design and fabrication of one Trainer and one Fighter, NP1 and NP2 respectively, along with a Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) at Goa. The SBTF will be used to simulate carrier take off and arrested landing. The LCA (Navy) NP1 would be flying with the GE-F-404-IN20 engine and is designed for ski jump take off and arrested landing. The only carrier borne aircraft in the light category in the world, it will be operating with a wide variety of operational weapons and equipment like the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile, Anti-ship Missiles, Conventional bombs, Air Defence guns, CCM’s and drop tanks.
The ADA is responsible for the design, development, build, ground test and flight test of both the Naval and Air Force versions of the LCA. HAL is the Principal Partner of ADA in this task. The Indian Navy, the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), in the development of its aircraft, have played an important role right from its inception supporting the programme.
Indian defence news and strategic intelligence
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