Why made-in-India Tejas fighter jet, Dhruv helicopter will not fly in Republic Day fly-past

India’s two flagship indigenous aircraft, the Tejas fighter jets and Dhruv advanced light helicopters, will not participate in this year’s Republic Day fly-past.

The Indian Air Force said on Thursday that “a policy decision” has been made to exclude single-engine fighters like the Tejas from flying over Kartavya Path due to safety concerns.

As a result, only twin-engine jets such as Rafales, Sukhoi-30MKIs, MiG-29s, and Jaguars will take part in the annual event.

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But why will the two indigenous aircraft not participate in the Republic Day fly-past this year?

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Tejas, Dhruv aircraft won’t be part of Republic Day fly-past: Explained in 10 points

1. The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv will not participate in the Republic Day fly-past over Kartavya Path on January 26 as the helicopters remain grounded until a high-level inquiry panel identifies the root cause of the crash that claimed the lives of two Coast Guard pilots and an aircrew diver at Porbandar in Gujarat on January 5.

2. These helicopters have been part of Republic Day fly-pasts for nearly 15 years.

3. Manufactured by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the ALH Dhruv is a multi-role, multi-mission helicopter in the 5.5-tonne class.

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4. Notably, a Coast Guard ALH crashed near Porbandar in Gujarat on January 5, leading the armed forces to ground the entire fleet of these twin-engine helicopters.

5. An IAF official told PTI that the indigenously developed single-engine Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will also not feature in the Republic Day fly-past. Notably, the IAF has discontinued the use of single-engine aircraft for this event.

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6. Manufactured by HAL, the Tejas aircraft is a powerful platform for air combat and offensive air support missions, with reconnaissance and anti-ship operations as secondary roles.

7. This year’s fly-past will feature 40 aircraft operating from 10 different bases, including 22 fighter jets and 11 transport aircraft like the US-made C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster-III, The Times of India reported.

8. The fly-past will also include seven helicopters, comprising four Russian-made Mi-17 V5 and three US-made Apache attack helicopters.

9. HAL, the manufacturer of ALH Dhruv, has directed all operators to suspend flights of the 5.5-tonne helicopters until the ongoing investigations into the January 5 crash determine its cause.

10. According to The New Indian Express, Russian-origin Mi-17 helicopters will carry the national flag, marking the beginning of the parade. In the second phase, which concludes the parade, there will be 12 formations involving fighter jets like the Rafale, Sukhoi, and Jaguar.

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What we know about Dhruv  helicopters and Tejas fighter jets

The Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv, a multi-role, next-generation helicopter in the 5.5-tonne weight category, was indigenously designed and developed by HAL.

Following the crash of an Indian Coast Guard ALH during a routine training sortie, in which all three personnel on board lost their lives, flying operations of the 330 ALH Dhruvs were suspended.

HAL has since established a committee led by retired Air Marshal Vibhas Pande, former chief of the Indian Air Force Maintenance Command, to provide recommendations regarding the maintenance of Coast Guard helicopters.

In November last year, the Ministry of Defence granted initial approval for the acquisition of an additional 97 Tejas jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The first indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas was inducted into service in July 2016.

It is a multi-role aircraft designed for air defence, maritime reconnaissance, and strike missions.

In September last year, Squadron Leader Mohana Singh became the first female fighter pilot to join the 18 ‘Flying Bullets’ squadron, which operates India’s indigenously developed LCA Tejas. Sqn Ldr Mohana Singh was among the first three women to qualify as fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force.

With inputs from agencies