Friday, December 24, 2004

expressindia
Indian Express Group

Cabinet nod for Rs 2,800 cr combat jets

Express News Service & Agencies
Posted online: Friday, December 24, 2004 at 1813 hours IST
Updated: Friday, December 24, 2004 at 2032 hours IST

New Delhi, December 24: The Cabinet Committee on Security has approved
the revised cost estimate of Rs 2800 crore for the development of
indigenous Kaveri engine for the LCA (Tejas) project. Already, the
Defence Research Development Organisation has spent Rs 1300 crore on
the prestigious project.

This was stated by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee after the CCS
meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The CCS “approved the revised cost estimate of Kaveri engine” which
has been placed at Rs 2,800 crore, Mukherjee said adding that Rs
1,300 crore had already been spent earlier on the indigenous project.

Two prototypes of LCA being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(HAL), Bangalore, have been test flown including at supersonic speeds.

LCA, a versatile, light weight and multi-role combat aircraft, is
expected to be ready for induction in the Air force in another three
years time.

Mukherjee said the CCS also approved a defence cooperation agreement
with Armenia which had been reached by the previous NDA regime in
May last year.