The Indian Air Force (IAF) has released a video of first-ever mid-air refuelling of India’s indigenously built fighter aircraft Tejas on September 4.
The IAF successfully carried out the first ever mid-air refuelling of the indigenously developed Tejas MK 1 light combat aircraft from a Russian-built IL-78 MKI tanker on Tuesday, September 4. ”A Russian-built IL-78 MKI tanker transferred fuel to a Tejas MK I aircraft on Tuesday,” the IAF said in a press release.
See Video:
#WATCH: Indian Air Force successfully carried out the first ever midair refuelling of the indigenously developed Tejas MK 1 light combat aircraft from a Russian-built IL-78 MKI tanker on Tuesday, 4 September. (Video source: Indian Air Force) pic.twitter.com/sON9Fi9xEx
— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2018
“The success of these trials is a major leap for the indigenous fighter, thus enhancing its mission capability by increasing its range and payload. The ability to carry out air-to-air refuelling is one of the critical requirements for the Light Combat Aircraft to achieve final operational clearance,” the IAF said.
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The tanker was launched from its base in Agra while the fighter was launched from Gwalior. The specially modified Tejas aircraft carried out a series of test profiles including a `Dry Contact` with the tanker.
A second Tejas aircraft flying in formation was used to observe the exercise closely.
Prior to the test flight, extensive ground trials were conducted in all possible conditions under the supervision of ADA scientists.
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