International debut for Tejas fighters in tactical combat flying

HAL officials say they would have preferred to offer customers the sophisticated Mark 1A version of the Tejas, which has mid-air refuelling, AESA radar, and the ability to fire BVR missiles

In a sign of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) growing confidence in the Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA), the home-grown fighter is being fielded for the first time in an international military exercise. While the Tejas has shown its aerobatic skills in flying displays in the past, this will be the first time the indigenous Tejas will be participating in an international tactical exercise.

Five Tejas fighters will fly from the Sulur IAF base near Coimbatore to Waddington in the UK for the joint India-UK exercise, named Exercise Cobra Warrior. An IAF C-17 Globemaster III heavy lift transporter will provide transport