Article Posted on : - Jan 25, 2011

LCA Tejas got initial operational clearance on January 10, 2011. A file photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): Displaying its indigenous weapon manufacturing prowess, India will showcase its home-grown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, its highly-advanced airborne radar and different types of naval torpedos at the Republic Day parade.

"At this year's parade, the Trainer version of the Tejas along with several types of indigenously developed Torpedos and advanced Long Range Solid State Phased Array Radar (LRSTAR) will be displayed," a DRDO official said here.

The LCA was recently granted the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) and it has moved a step closer towards induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The trainer version of the Tejas is a tandem seat derivative of the fighter aircraft and will be used by both the Navy and the IAF.

The LRSTAR would be equipped on the under-development Airborne Early Warning and Control System and would carry out surveillance, detection and tracking of airborne targets also.

The tableau of the premier defence research agency will also showcase the naval underwater weapon systems including the light weight torpedo and heavy weight torpedo 'Varunastra' which is in the final phases of technology development, and the 'Maareech' decoy System which diverts enemy underwater missiles and prevents them from hitting own ships.

The Life Sciences laboratories of the DRDO will also display their equipment at the parade.