Tejas LCA Undertakes Successful Test Flight With Indigenous Digital Flight Control Computer

New Delhi: A prototype model of Tejas-Mk1A light combat aircraft (LCA) successfully carried out a test flight with an indigenously developed digital fly-by-wire flight control computer (DFCC) fitted onboard, the Defence Ministry informed on Tuesday.

DFCC has been developed by the Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Tejas-Mk1A programme, the ministry said.

“In a significant development towards Tejas Mk1A programme, the Digital Fly by Wire Flight Control Computer (DFCC) was integrated into prototype LSP7 and successfully flown on 19th Feb 2024,” it said in a press release.

DFCC features a quadruple power PC-based processor, high-speed autonomous state machine-based I/O controller, enhanced computational throughput, and complex onboard software complied with DO178C Level-A safety requirements, the ministry added.

“All critical parameters and performance of the flight controls were found satisfactory,” the ministry’s communique read. According to the Defence Ministry, the test flight was piloted by Wing Commander Siddarth Singh KMJ (Retired), who is associated with the National Flight Test Centre.

The development is significant in the context of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government’s efforts to reduce India’s dependence on imports for its defence needs.