Post Tejas Crash Review: Way Ahead

LCA TEJAS

The November 21, accident involving the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) manufacturing Tejas LCA Mark 1 at the Dubai Air Show will be a test for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Defence Public Sector Undertaking directly  operating under the Indian Ministry of Defence [MOD].

Indeed, the loss of Wing Commander Naman Syal is grievous for his family, the IAF as well as the nation. A tribute to the departed soul would be a fair investigation rather than speculation in the media or pushing the issue under the carpet so to say.

It is imperative that the incident be thoroughly analysed, and insights gained are systematically implemented rather than shying away from facts that emerge. Transparent dissemination of the deductions to the public and the international community is particularly important, given the global visibility of the accident at a major event such as the Dubai Air Show.

As in any accident whether on ground or air, post incident response is a critical factor that can salvage the reputational damage and salvage credentials of the organization. This will be the finest tribute to Wing Commander Naman Syal.

The HAL and the MOD need to double down on Mark 1A and beyond production after ensuring that conclusions emerging from the investigation are incorporated.

 A point to note is that air shows demand extreme, low-altitude manoeuvres (loops, rolls, negative-G dives) that push both aircraft and pilots to operational limits.

There are reports in the media that the accident could be due to the negative G force acting on the Pilot. Negative G-Force, also referred to as ‘Negative G’, is the force experienced by an object or person in a direction opposite to that of gravity. These forces are typically experienced during aerobatic manoeuvres, sudden descent, or severe turbulence.

An IAF veteran, Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor (Retd) has cautioned against early judgement. In an interview with ANI, Kapoor said, "The ill-fated Tejas crash a little while ago in Dubai has actually shaken up the whole system... The reasons could be mechanical. The reason could be the malfunction of fly-by-wire or any control surface. The sabotage angle would also be looked at by the court of inquiry team. The FDR and CVR would be extracted... At this stage, to speculate and to say what could have gone wrong is incorrect, and to have lost a brother in arms is very sad..."

By a rough estimate at least 8 to 10 crashes have been reported during air shows internationally, thus painting the Tejas as isolated is grossly inaccurate.

A wealth of video evidence is available in the public domain for detailed examination, in addition to footage likely captured by the IAF and the air show organisers will be examined. The collection and clinical analysis of this evidence should enable a precise determination of the factors leading to the crash.

Considering the accident, there is a strong case for the Ministry of Defence to focus on the production and expansion of Tejas manufacturing facilities for indigenous induction. While Tejas remains a capable fighter in its class, the demand for exports—may see a decline because of the accident. This should not be alarming and is an anticipated outcome, yet a transparent investigation will offset much of the reputational damage. Many stakeholders hope to see the Indian aerospace sector, led by HAL, emerge successfully from this setback.

However, it is also likely that adversaries such as Pakistan and China will view this as a significant blow for HAL, especially given the highly competitive global aerospace market.

Indeed the IAF, has lost a frontline aircraft and, more importantly, an experienced test pilot. The pilot’s expertise was vital for the ongoing and future development of advanced models of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme.

The accident thus underscores the necessity for detailed investigation and robust measures to avoid such losses in the future by the IAF and HAL. The World is watching.