The indigenously developed (Light Combat Aircraft) LCA Naval trainer prototype NP5 successfully completed its maiden flight at the HAL airport.
Addition of NP5 aircraft to LCA Naval trainer prototype fleet will help to accelerate flight testing activities which will provide designers vital inputs towards design and development of the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), the under developing futuristic carrier aircraft programme of the country.
Further, LCA Navy can also serve as an effective training platform for Indian Navy pilots for operations from the aircraft carriers.
Now, the new prototype NP5 will soon undertake field and carrier operations from both INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.
Moreover, it will incorporate all improvements identified during exploitation of NP1 and NP2 is a production ready aircraft.
To be noted that LCA Navy is Designed and Developed jointly by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and HAL.
Earlier, the first naval trainer prototype NP1 was flown on 27 April 2012 and the fighter prototype NP2 was flown on February 7, 2015.
Both Naval Prototypes (NP1 and NP2) have achieved major landmark milestones like ski jump take off and arrested landing demonstrations on Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) at Dabolim Airport, Goa and operations from indigenous aircraft carriers.
The aircraft demonstrated 18 arrested landings and Ski Jump take offs from INS Vikramaditya in Jan 2020, including hot refuelling capability.
In aviation, ski jump is an upward-curved ramp that allows the aircraft to take off from a runway that is shorter than the aircraft’s required take off roll.
Further, LCA Navy is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies such as fly-by-wire flight control system, glass cockpit and advanced mechanical systems. The aircraft can be operated seamlessly both during the day and night.
Besides, it features advanced hands-free ski jump take-off and landing flight control modes.
LCA Navy Prototypes are carrier compatible and can operate with Air-to-Air weapons for combat missions.
