Inputs gleaned out of the reports from IAF’s last big exercise ‘Gaganshakti-2018’, indicate the LCA did not miss a single planned mission and as compared to other fighters, achieved launch success rates of over 95 percent. Interesting to note, this was the base version being operated by the IAF almost immediately after induction. A good performance in the exercise actually boosted the IAF trust on the Tejas. Similarly, international exposures for the LCA would do a lot of good for export aspirations.
The LCA may be the first baby steps towards the global arms market, no suggestions here that this can be accomplished overnight, however, with the right steps in the correct direction and with the current rate of progress being sustained, it should be a ‘sure shot’ in the near future. The associated spin offs from the LCA market would certainly pave the way for the AMCA project similarly, not to mention other indigenous defence related projects in the pipeline.
(With valuable…