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The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas has marked up one more technology jump as it gets ready to be inducted into the defence forces.
Its engine revved up under extreme conditions without any external assistance or heating. "The team LCA has achieved a technological breakthrough", said PS Subramanyam, Programme Director and Director, Aeronautical Development Authority, Bengaluru.
Tejas came thumbs up in three consecutive start-ups of its engine after overnight soak in extreme cold (around -15ºC) conditions of Ladakh winter and that too without any external assistance, a press release from the Defence Research and Development Organisation said today.
Starting the fighter aircraft under such extreme conditions without any external assistance or heating is a technological challenge. The requirements become further stringent when the starting is to be done three times consecutively with a partially charged battery.
The engine starter is developed indigenously by HAL Aero Engine Research and Design Centre (AERDC), Bengaluru. Prior to aircraft tests, the Jet Fuel Starter (JFS) was extensively tested on test rig to meet starting conditions across the operating altitudes including Leh (10,700 ft.) and Khardungla (18,300 ft).
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