HAL working towards delivering first LCA Mark-1A fighter to IAF by March 31

New Delhi: The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is working towards delivering the first LCA Mark-1A fighter jet to the Indian Air Force by the end of this month.

The state-owned public sector unit is also working towards the delivery of the first twin-seater trainer version aircraft to the IAF at the earliest, defence sources told ANI.

The work is on towards meeting the delivery by the end of March 31 and this would be a big boost for the indigenous fighter aircraft project where an advanced aircraft would be provided to the IAF, they said.

The Indian Air Force has already signed a contract worth over Rs 48,000 crore with the HAL for supplying 83 LCA planes while there is clearance for buying 97 more of them at Rs 65,000 crore.

The HAL has already carried out ground trials including slow taxi runs.

The LCA Mark 1 aircraft were inducted into the IAF in 2016 and two of their squadrons including 45 Squadron and 18 Squadron.

Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari had termed the clearance of the 97 LCA a "landmark event".

"We already had 40 LCAs of the original IOC and FOC version. So with this, in the long run, the strength of the Indian Air Force will grow to 220 LCA mark 1As, which will equip almost ten squadrons of the Air Force," he said after the deal got cleared by the defence acquisition council.

The IAF sees the 97 Light Combat Aircraft as an ideal fit to replace the depleting strength of the combat aircraft in the force in view of the phasing out of the MiG-series planes.