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India not worried about Sino-Pak fighter project: Air Chief

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, March 5, IRNA -- India is not worried about the 
Sino-Pakistan venture to build a multi-role fighter, as the nation is 
also producing the Light Combat Aircraft `Tejas`,Chief of Air Staff 
Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi said today. 
"I don`t think we are worried. If they (China and Pakistan) are 
producing an aircraft, so are we. Remember, we are also producing the
LCA," Tyagi told reporters in Bangalore. 
India is building a home-grown single engine supersonic fighter, 
three prototypes of which have flown nearly 150 hours, which is 
expected to replace the IAF`s ageing MiG fleet from the next decade. 
The prototypes, seven in total, have to complete 1,500 hours of 
flight testing to get initial certification and a total of 2,500 hours
for final certification and operational clearance, expected to be 
completed by the end of this decade. 
The first squadron of LCA will fly with an American GE-404 engine, 
that currently powers the prototypes, while an indigenous Kaveri 
engine is being developed, though it has faced some hiccups. 
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