Photos from an LCA bombing run

(Photo: courtesy, DRDO)

Left: An onboard camera tracks the release of a bomb during Tejas weapons testing

You would recall my article, posted last month on the bombing trails being carried out by the Tejas. It is posted in February 09 under the title of, "The Light Combat Aircraft tests its teeth: a ringside account of an LCA bombing run".

Here now is a photograph of the bomb release, which I had seen at that time on the real-time telemetry equipment at the National Flight Test Centre in Bangalore. I am also posting below, a copy of the DRDO press release that accompanied this photograph.

"The second phase of weapon testing on Tejas is currently underway from an Air Force base in the north-western sector. The focus of the current phase of testing is safe separation and also accuracy of weapon delivery. The results from the tests would validate aerodynamic interference data as well as complex weapon release algorithms in different modes of release.
A Composite test team comprising of specialists from ADA, IAF, HAL, NAL, ADE, DGAQA and CEMILAC had been put in place at the trial location where the flight test is being conducted by National Flight Test Centre.

"Arrangements are in place for directly linking the trial location with the base telemetry station at Bangalore via INSAT and also through a secluded fiber optic channel. With this arrangement, designers and other specialists are able to monitor in realtime, the activities in general and vital parameters in particular, as the trial is going on thousands of kilometers away. Specifically for this trial, accurate upper air data is gathered at the trial location using GPS Radiosonde supplied by ISRO.

"The mood at ADA and other organizations involved in the trial is upbeat as the information has just come in, that Tejas has scored a direct hit on the target in the first test sortie itself. The trials are planned for two weeks’ duration."