Naval version of LCA rolled out

Bangalore, Jul 6 (PTI) India's first Naval Light Combat
Aircraft, the LCA (Navy) NP1, rolled out here Tuesday with
Defence Minister A K Antony describing the occasion as a
"defining and a memorable moment."
The aircraft, which has been assembled at the Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility here, is now ready to
undergo systems integration tests, leading to ground runs,
taxi trials and flights, officials said.
"It is a defining and a memorable moment as it will
give boost to indigenisation," Antony said at the event,
attended by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma,
Secretary (Defence Production) and top officials of HAL and
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The warplane has been developed under the prestigious
Naval Programme of Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA).
The LCA (Navy) NP1 is the first indigenous effort to
build a complete air element for the Navy. The aircraft will
fly with US-made GE-F-404-IN20 engine and is specifically
designed for ski jump take off and arrested landing, with high
landing loads compared to its Air Force counterpart.
The development of LCA (Navy) NP1 and its fighter
counterpart (NP2) is aimed at providing a formidable platform
with a higher thrust engine and an optimised mass for suitable
replacement to the ageing Sea Harriers at a later date.
The aircraft, with considerable technology and punch
for years to come, is being designed to operate from the
future indigenously built aircraft carriers the Navy plans to
acquire, officials said.
The formal sanction by the government for the Naval
programme was given in the year 2003. The first stage of
development includes design and fabrication of one trainer and
one fighter -- NP1 and NP2 respectively -- along with a shore
based test facility (SBTF) in Goa, to simulate carrier take
off and arrested landing.
A complete airframe called structural test specimen
required for structural testing is also being done as part of
the programme. PTI