IAF may not get to fly LCA before 2010

NEW DELHI: It's a story of deadlines being revised again and again, and then again. The much-touted Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) or "Tejas" is now giving the Arjun main-battle tank a run for its money in terms of delays in becoming combat-ready.

Just like Arjun is yet to be inducted into the Army despite its development being sanctioned over 30 years ago, latest estimates hold it will take another six-seven years — if not more — for the fully-operational LCA to be inducted into IAF's combat fleet.

Though the LCA project was sanctioned way back in 1983 to replace the country's ageing MiG fighters, its deadline for induction has been revised once again. Sources say LCA's "initial operational clearance" has now been pushed back to mid-2008, with the "final operational clearance" planned only by 2010.

Moreover, the overall cost of the LCA project, being run by Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Aeronautical Development Agency, could well eventually touch Rs 10,000 crore.

Times of India

Its not without reason that they've painted it white, because it is indeed a white elephant.

rgds

VT-ASJ