Indian HAL Tejas fighter jet crashes during Dubai air show

An Indian HAL Tejas fighter jet crashed around 2:10 PM local time during a demonstration flight at Al Maktoum International Airport, shocking the onlookers at the Dubai World Central venue.

Thick black smoke rose from the crash site as emergency sirens echoed across the airfield. Spectators watched in shock as rescue crews rushed to the scene.

It was not immediately known whether the pilot managed to eject before impact. Authorities have not yet released further details on casualties or the cause of the crash.

The plane fell while showing flight maneuvers. After the crash, the air show has been suspended until further notice.

Initial reports said that the pilot was unable to eject. The share price of the company that produces Tejas fighter jets fell by over 2.5 per cent after the crash.

Indian Air Force has confirmed the crash and the death of the pilot. A court of inquiry is also being formed to investigate the incident.

TEJAS FIGHTER JET IS INDIAN ORIGIN PLANE

The Tejas Mk1 is India’s indigenous 4.5-generation, lightweight, multi-role supersonic fighter aircraft developed under the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme led by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Designed for offensive air support, close combat and ground-attack missions, the single-engine fighter entered Indian Air Force (IAF) service in 2016, with its Final Operational Clearance (FOC) variant inducted in 2020.

Work on Tejas began with the first demonstrator flights in 2001 and 2002, followed by production and trainer variants through the late 2000s. Limited series production models advanced testing, and the aircraft received Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in 2010. Subsequent prototypes integrated improved avionics and indigenous systems, including an advanced electronic warfare suite. The naval variant undertook its maiden carrier trials aboard INS Vikramaditya in 2020. The Tejas Mk1A, an improved version featuring upgraded avionics and an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, completed its maiden flight in March 2024.

The aircraft features a lightweight delta-wing design using composite materials, nine external hardpoints, a night-vision compatible glass cockpit, and advanced avionics including a ring-laser gyroscope navigation system, HAL-developed friend-or-foe interrogator, and extensive electronic warfare capabilities. It can carry a range of air-to-air, air-to-ground and anti-ship weapons, including Astra and Derby beyond-visual-range missiles, and is equipped with a 23mm twin-barrel GSh-23 gun.

Powered by the GE F404-GE-IN20 turbofan engine, Tejas can achieve speeds of Mach 1.6, operate at altitudes up to 15,240m and has a range of 3,000km. India has ordered 40 Tejas Mk1 aircraft and an additional 83 Mk1A fighters and trainers valued at Rs480bn, all to be delivered within eight years. Development is also underway on the Tejas Mk2, a more advanced twin-engine medium combat aircraft expected to make its first flight in 2025, aimed at eventually replacing the IAF’s Jaguar and Mirage-2000 fleets.