Finally, FOC certification for Mark I Tejas

Mark I Tejas, the Light Combat Aircraft designed and developed in India, on Wednesday overcame its last hurdle by finally bagging what is called the FOC certification. The FOC or final operational clearance, coming on the first day of Aero India 2019, certifies that the world’s lightest fighter plane is “ready for battle.” As its stakeholders stood in front of an LCA prototype, endorsements of the LCA's fire power came in from none other than its prospective user - the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief MArshal Birendra Singh Dhanoa - who said, "It is ready, it behaved like a true fighter. Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra hoped that LCA-MkI would get inducted soon into Air Force. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd is With an LCA prototype in the background,Secretary, Defence R&D, G.Satheesh Reddy, whose organisation ADA developed the fighter, declared the aircraft FOC compliant and Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra handed over the document to Air Chief Marshal B.S.Dhanoa, the chief of LCA's user, the Indian Air Force. FOC movements began in the last week of December 2018 Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa noted that Tejas has shown its fire power over its 1,500 sorties.Calling the FOC a milestone for LCA Mk1, he said, "You saw today how the aircraft flew and the sorties it made.