Digital Desk: On January 26, India will witness the most spectacular flypast in its history during the Republic Day celebration.
Reportedly, a total of 75 air assets from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force will take part in the flypast in various formations to commemorate India's 75th years of independence.
Besides these, fighter aircraft from the Indian Air Force, helicopters from three services, and vintage aircraft will enthral the audience on January 26. The country’s newest addition Rafale fighter jet will be deployed in three formations: Vinash with five Rafale jets, Baaz with one Rafale, two Jaguar, three MiG-29, and two Sukhoi fighter planes, and Vijay with one Rafale jet.
The home-grown fighter plane Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and the French-origin Mirage fighter jet would be among the most glaring exclusions.
Tejas took part in the 68th Republic Day celebrations for the first time in 2017. Moreover, three indigenously developed aircraft took off from Rajasthan's Nal airfield in Bikaner. Following that, it marched in the 2018 Republic Day parade. On the other hand, since 2018, the LCA Tejas has not taken part in any Republic Day celebration.
At the Indian Air Force's Sulur airbase, two squadrons of LCA Tejas have been raised so far. Sulur Airbase is the only one in the country with two Tejas squadrons. The squadrons are the Flying Daggers and Flying Bullets.
The Indian Air Force has ordered 40 Tejas Mk 1 so far, with 32 single-seat planes and eight twin-seat trainers. The IAF has also placed an order for 83 single-seat fighters in the Mk 1A configuration of the LCA Tejas. The indigenous fighters will be outfitted with indigenous flight control and air data processors.
