Tejas aircraft successfully refuelled mid-air

Bengaluru: The Tejas fighter aircraft was refuelled midair over Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.

The aircraft is being manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and some dry runs were conducted earlier.

“The light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas LSP8 was transferred 1,900kg fuel from an Indian Air Force (IAF) IL78 aerial refuelling tanker at an altitude of 20,000 feet,” city-based aerospace major said in a statement.

The milestone was achieved at 9.30 am when 1,900 kg of fuel was transferred from the mid-air refuelling tanker of IAF’s IL78 to the Tejas LSP8 at an altitude of 20,000 feet.

According to HAL, the speed of Tejas was 270 knots when all the internal tanks and drop tanks were refuelled.

“With this, India joins the elite group of countries who have developed the air-to-air system for military class of aircraft,” Chairman and Managing Director of HAL R. Madhavan said in the statement.