India's bid to build its own carrier-borne fighter plane got a boost with the naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft successfully completing its first engine ground run.
The test was carried out in Bangalore Monday on the LCA (Navy) prototype-I, according to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials here Tuesday.
The project is being steered by a team comprising members of the navy, air force, DRDO, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification, the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, educational institutions and other public and private sector partners.
"The first engine ground run of the naval prototype-I aircraft, conducted Monday, had the primary objective of checking aircraft-to-engine integration and activation of the various systems like flight control, hydraulics, fuel, electrical, and avionics, which was successfully achieved," the official said.
"The aircraft will now go through a phase of refinements based on feedback identified during the course of the build up and also observed during the engine ground run, followed by a series of final integration checks and taxi trials before its maiden flight shortly," they added.