Bangalore: Union government has sanctioned about Rs 1,000 crore for limited series production of indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), a top aviation official said on November 2.

N R Mohanty, chairman and managing director of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), said under the limited series production, eight LCAs would be produced per year at HAL facilities in Bangalore.

"We have already selected site, some buildings and bought equipment for production of LCA. We are going ahead with it," he told reporters after attending a function.

He said the intermediate jet trainer, designed, developed and being produced by HAL, would take to the skies on a maiden flight in the current financial year itself and most probably at the Bangalore Air Show, scheduled to be held in February.

Indian Air Force has indicated a requirement of 250 numbers of IJT, which is a replacement for Kiran Mark-II, Mohanty said, adding IJT also has the potential for the world market.

A "Mini-Ratna" company, HAL, has submitted to the government to accord it the status of "Nava-Ratna", Mohanty said, and expressed confidence of securing the coveted honour.

HAL, which clocked a turnover of R 2,775 crore during 2001-02, is aiming to cross the Rs 3,000 crore mark in the current financial year and the Rs 4,000 crore one in 2003-04, he added.

Mohanty reiterated that the allegation that emanated from Russia that spurious parts supplied by HAL are to be blamed for MiG-21 crashes in India was "confirmed to be false".

He said MiG-21 is a very good aircraft but is an ageing one. While new generation of aircraft are fitted with computer-machines which are geared up to any eventuality, MiG aircraft were designed some four decades back and needs a lot of skill by the pilot.

PTI