The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) seem to have arrived at a consensus to end the stalemate over Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas trainers. Onmanorama can confirm now that IAF will have to probably wait till 2021 to get the Tejas trainer of their ‘liking.’ It means there won’t be any trainers from the first block of 20 Series Production (SP) line for now, which will be in tune with the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) standards.

As per the original agreement, four trainers were part of the IOC block and another four from the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) production line. This production plan seems to have now being tweaked with IAF wanting all trainers fitted with the air-to-air refuelling (AAR) probe. IAF also says that there cannot be two types (IOC/FOC) of Tejas trainers in its fleet.

HAL, on its part, put up a brave fight in the last one year trying to convince IAF bosses that any change at this stage would further derail their production plans. Two and fro letters flew between HAL and IAF HQ on this contentious issue. HAL even feared a production halt, if IAF stuck to its guns.

All that seems to be buried now with IAF probably getting what it wanted, may be not on time, but with delays. So if you are a die-hard devotee of Tejas programme, here are some updates on trainers.

• IAF will receive 16 fighters in the IOC format and another 16 in the FOC format. All these will be LCA MKI.

• In the next version of 83 aircraft which are to be built as per the LCA MK1A standards, there will be 10 trainers.

• All the 18 trainers (4+4+10) will be of LCA MK1 standards and not MK1A.

• The first SP-Trainer will be a prototype fitted with AAR probe. Based on its successful completion of trials and acceptance by the IAF, another seven will be produced in the first block of 40.

“As per original two contracts with IAF, we were to produce 40 aircraft – 20 each in IOC and FOC configurations respectively. The contracts specify production of 32 single-seat aircraft and eight twin-seater trainers. The IOC aircraft standard is without AAR probe and FOC fighter aircraft is with the probe. This plan has changed now,” says an HAL official.

“The trials on and they ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) has not finalised what type of probe will go on the trainer. Even the inboard layout of the fuel system and the aerodynamic feasibility of AAR are being studied. Finally, we have to prove the refuelling process from a mother aircraft to Tejas trainer,” says an HAL official.

“A technical study has revealed that it is not feasible to convert the same for AAR requirement. It means that the first SP-Trainer which gets produced will be a prototype for design to evaluate probe performance on a trainer,’ says the official.

HAL says it expects the lead time for production of a trainer with AAR probe, from the release of drawings, is approximately 30 months. HAL had also argued that the trainer aircraft production as per both IOC & FOC contract was without AAR capability and hence the financials have not been included in the contract.