NEW DELHI — After successful completion of its hot weather trials, India's indigenously developed light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas will now be configured to deliver precision guided bombs. The trials for this will take place in the Rajasthan desert later this year, a defence ministry official said yesterday.Already running 10 years behind schedule, the supersonic multi-role fighter aircraft would, however, be armed with only ‘limited weaponry’ when it is inducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2012.
Earlier Tejas, a project of the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), was to have been armed with air-to-air beyond visual range missiles, air-to-ground missiles and cluster bombs. However, the limited thrust provided by its GE-404 engine has limited its arsenal. India will soon invite bids for developing a more powerful engine for the Tejas as the development of its indigenous Kaveri engine is yet to be completed.