Light Combat Aircraft -LCA naval variant all at sea

Four flights in one year. That’s the flight track record of the naval variant of Light Combat Aircraft -LCA Navy (NP-1) since it made its maiden flight on April 27 last year in Bangalore.

The NP-1 which is the sole prototype build under the LCA Navy programme by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has been bogged down with a few problems that it has not been on a flight sortie since July last 2012.

The aircraft since its first few flights has been undergoing a few modifications with regard to the landing gear and a few other systems to meet the ski jump requirement, said Ministry of Defence sources.The LCA Navy is being developed to operate from an aircraft carrier with a concept of ski-jump take-off but arrested recovery (STOBAR).

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