Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' in R-Day Parade

Asian Defense News: Bangalore: Indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas' will be seen during the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on January 26.
Official sources here today said ''the prestigious ''TEJAS'' will be seen in the Republic Day Parade for the first time in New Delhi.''
The two-seater indigenous LCA made its maiden flight at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport here on November 26, 2009.
The successful flight flew at an altitude of nine km and attained Mach 0.85. The prototype was flown by Group Captain Ritu Raj Tyagi of the National Flight Test Centre with Project Director (Flight Test) Air Commodore Rohit Varma in the rear.
The IAF is reported to have a requirement for 200 single-seat and 20 two-seat conversion trainers, while the Indian Navy may order up to 40 single-seaters to replace its Sea Harrier FRS.51 and Harrier T.60.
The LCA naval variant is expected to take to the skies by 2009. Recent developments suggest that the aircraft will be inducted into the Indian Air Force by end of 2010 or early 2011.
During its sea level flight trials off Goa during December 2009, Tejas notched a speed of over 1,350 km per hour, thus becoming the first supersonic fighter being manufactured indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.