After over three decades of wait, IAF will finally get its first squadron of indigenously-built Tejas

The state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, manufacturer of Tejas, will hand over the fourth aircraft to the Air Force on July 1.

New Delhi: After waiting for more than three decades, the IAF will finally get its first squadron of the indigenous-built Tejas in July.

The first squadron will be made up of just four Tejas aircraft, and the fourth light combat plane will be delivered to the Air Force on July 1.

Globally, a squadron consists of at least 16 aircraft.

According to PTI, the four aircraft will be used only for training and familarisation. 

The state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is the manufacturer of Tejas. 

Rather than waiting for LAC Mk II, IAF had decided to go in with an upgraded version of the existing Tejas with over 40 modifications, the report said.

IAF currently plans to acquire 120 Tejas aircraft, with 100 of these having major modifications.

The force wants Active Electrically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Unified Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite, mid-air refuelling capacity and beyond the vision range missiles.

As per the production plan, six aircraft will be made this year (2015-16) and HAL will subsequently scale it up to eight and 16 aircraft per year.