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Hal TEJAS delivering munitions 🧨🚀🔥 Amazing picture by Angad Singh @indianairforce _________________________________ #iaf #indianairforce #haltejas #tejas #fighterjet #fighterplane #aeroplane #aircraft #defence #india #aviation #photography #aviatiobphotography #aviationdaily #aviationlovers #photooftheday #photos #bomb #attack #bomber #flying #flyinghigh #flyhigh (at India) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPmmSnjJ_7s/?utm_medium=tumblr

India’s indigenously-developed Tejas MK1 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) successfully performed its maiden mid-air refueling trial with an Indian Air Force (IAF) Il-78MKI aerial refueling tanker at around 1 pm local time on Sept.4, 2018. During the trials, a specially modified Tejas aircraft equipped with Cobham air-to-air refueling probe carried out a series of test profiles including a ‘dry contact' with the Il-78MKI. Dry contact meant that no fuel was actually exchanged between the tanker and the fighter jet. The tanker, assigned to the IAF No. 78 Squadron, was launched from its homebase, Agra Air Force Station, while the fighter was launched from Gwalior Air Force Station. The Tejas aircraft was piloted by Group Captain Rajeev Joshi, a test pilot with the National Flight Test Centre (NFTC), and the Il-78 MKI was flown by Gp Capt R Arvind, the Commanding Officer of the tanker squadron. All flight parameters of Tejas aircraft were transmitted live to a ground control unit set-up at Gwalior Air Base, wherein scientists from Indian Ministry of Defence's Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) constantly monitored the technical parameters of the mission. Prior to the test flight, extensive ground trials were conducted in all possible conditions under the supervision of ADA scientists. A second Tejas aircraft flying in formation was used to observe the exercise closely. The success of these trials is a major leap for the indigenous fighter, thus enhancing its mission capability by increasing its range and payload. The ability to carry out Air-to-Air Refueling (AAR) is one of the critical requirements for the LCA to achieve its Final Operational Clearance (FOC) with the IAF. IAF currently operates nine Tejas fighters built to an Initial Operating Clearance (IOC) standard. These jets are being flown by No. 45 Squadron "Flying Daggers" based at Sulur Air Force Station in Tamil Nadu. The Air Force has 40 Tejas Mk1s on order and will also acquire another 83 Tejas Mk-1A fighters which will incorporate design modifications and additional capabilities requested by the service. Two prototypes of Tejas Navy, a variant of Tejas developed for the Indian Navy, are also being tested and they are scheduled to conduct trials off the deck of the Indian Navy's sole operational aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, by the end of the year. Read the full article