Tejas has no issues, Dubai crash will have no impact on future of fighter jet: HAL chairman DK Sunil
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with Tejas, they are completely safe and their safety record is the best in the world. What you saw in Dubai was an unfortunate incident,” HAL Chairman told ANI on the sidelines of the National Security Summit.
The HAL chairman said a lot of research and development work has gone into the aircraft and it is a matter of pride that India has indigenously developed a 4.5 generation aircraft with the latest capabilities.
“I think we are going through phases as countries evolve and develop their own technologies. We had this 4.5 generation aircraft with the latest capability. This is a huge achievement and we should all be proud of it. I think there will always be naysayers and questions, but that will not deter us from strengthening. I can absolutely assure you that this is an absolutely safe aircraft and it will have no impact on the future of Tejas,” the HAL chairman said.
Regarding HAL’s exports, DK Sunil said that the company is also focusing on exports with the aim of becoming a global player.
“It is the policy of the government that we are global. Exports are a result of the assistance of the Government of India and the company. It is a logical extension of the capacity we are building,” he said. A Tejas aircraft crashed at the Dubai air show during a low-level aerobatic display at Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport on Friday. Footage from the Dubai Air Show shows the Tejas Mark-1 aircraft hitting the ground and emitting thick black smoke. Emergency teams rushed to the scene but Wing Commander Namansh Syal failed to eject himself and suffered fatal injuries. The Indian Air Force (IAF) later confirmed the pilot’s death. This was the second such accident involving the Tejas light combat aircraft since it joined the IAF fleet 10 years ago. In the incident that took place near Jaisalmer in March last year, the pilot was seen ejecting from the plane safely.
