LCA Tejas Mk2

LCA Tejas Mk2

News: According to a senior official from the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk2 will be integrated with heavy standoff weapons like SCALP, an air-to-ground, long-range deep strike missile.

About:
 The Indigenous LCATejas Mk2 is a fighter aircraft developed in India that can carry eight Beyond-VisualRange (BVR) missiles simultaneously, along with integrating all native weapons and advanced weapons from other countries.
 The LCA Mk2 is an upgraded version of the LCA Tejas Mk1, which has improved range and mission endurance. The mission endurance for fighting a war was 57 minutes for LCA Tejas Mk1, but it is 120 minutes for LCA Tejas Mk2.
 The critical design review of the aircraft is ready and the manufacturing initiated, and the aircraft should be rolled out by 2024.
 LCA Mk2 will have a weapon carrying capacity of 6.5 tonnes. The General Electric GE-414 engine will power the LCA Mk2.

What are Light Combat Aircrafts?
 The LCA programme was started by the Government of India in 1984 when they established the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to manage the LCA programme.
 Designed to carry a range of air-to-air, air-to-surface, precision-guided, weapons.
 Air to air refueling capability.