India's Tejas fighter jet crashes during aerial display at Dubai air show, pilot dies

A plane taking part in a demonstration at the Dubai air show crashed on Friday (21 Nov) around 2:10 PM local time, the News agency AP reported. The HAL-made Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1) went down while performing an aerial display before a large crowd. The Indian Air Force (IAF), in a statement, confirmed the incident, adding that the pilot succumbed to fatal injuries during the crash.

“An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief. A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident”, the IAF said in a statement.

Spectators at the air show witnessed the crash as black smoke rose over the Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, and sirens sounded after the aircraft went down.

The Dubai Air Show began on November 17 and was scheduled to conclude on November 21, the day the Tejas jet crashed. The city-state’s second airport was hosting the biennial Air Show, which has seen major aircraft orders by both the long-haul carrier Emirates and its lower-cost sister airline FlyDubai.

This is the second crash ever recorded involving HAL Tejas. Before this , on March 12, 2024, a single-engine Tejas fighter aircraft went down near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. The pilot survived the incident, ejecting safely.

The incident comes as the IAF prepares to induct an advanced version of the aircraft, the LCA Mk-1A. The Tejas was first inducted into the Indian Air Force in July 2016, and the IAF currently operates two Mk-1 squadrons, each comprising 16 to 18 aircraft.

Tejas is an indigenously developed 4.5-generation multi-role combat aircraft capable of offensive air support, close combat, and ground-attack missions. It can conduct ground and maritime operations with high precision. The Tejas platform includes single-seat variants for both the Air Force and Navy, as well as twin-seat variants for each service.

Engineered by India's state-owned Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL), the LCA MK1A is its advanced version, incorporating major upgrades to bolster its combat abilities and survival capabilities. The aircraft features an ASEA radar, an advanced electronic warfare suite with radar warning and self-protection jamming capabilities, a digital map generator, smart multifunction displays, a combined interrogator and transponder system, and a modern radio altimeter, along with several other state-of-the-art technologies to enhance its operational capabilities.