LCA Mark-I has limited capability: CAG

In critical observations pertaining to national security preparedness, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has said the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark-I Tejas being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) has limited capability and does not meet the force’s operational requirements. In a second report, it pointed to the ammunition shortage in the Army’s war reserves. The two reports were tabled in Parliament on Friday.

The IAF had issued Air Staff Requirements (ASR) in 1985 for a light-weight multi-mission fighter aircraft to be inducted in 1994 to replace the MiG-21s in service. But LCA achieved initial operational clearance only by December 2013 and final operational clearance is expected only by 2018-end.

“LCA Mark-I does not meet the ASR. The deficiencies are now expected to be met in LCA Mark-II by December 2018,” the CAG said in the report.

The initial operational clearance version has “53 significant shortfalls” in meeting ASR, resulting in reduced survivability and operational employability, it observed.

The aircraft was developed by DRDO, and Aeronautical Development Agency had put the indigenous content at 70 per cent, but CAG said it “actually worked out to about 35 per cent” as of January this year as critical systems were imported. This delay had forced the IAF to undertake “alternate temporary measures” such as upgradation of other aircraft and revise the phasing out of MiG-21s.

The project was sanctioned in 1983 at a cost of Rs. 560 crore, but has eventually ballooned to Rs.10,397 crore.

In the second report on ammunition management of the Army, the CAG pointed to the massive shortage in war wastage reserves of ammunition which is equivalent to 40 days of intense period.