Tejas Fired Laser-Guided Bomb Misses Target, IAF Examines Issue

IAF officials maintained that there was no technical snag or pilot error

IAF light combat aircraft “Tejas” taxies on the tarmac during the “Aero India 2015” (Photo: Reuters)

A laser-guided bomb fired from the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft missed its target during an exercise in Pokhran in Rajasthan. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is looking into the case, an official said on Monday.

The officer added that apart from bomb missing the target, the ‘Iron Fist 2016’ exercise on Friday was “largely successful.” The officer emphasised it was not a “failure”.

It is very much clear that there was no pilot error or technical snag. It was probably the laser-guided kit imported from Israel that may have malfunctioned

<b>IAF Official</b>

The IAF initially said the laser-guided bomb and an air-to-air missile fired by Tejas had engaged targets with “deadly precision”.

The official said Tejas was granted a kill even though the laser proximity fuse, which guides the bomb to the target, did not fire.

The IAF exercise saw the participation of 181 aircraft, firing of 71 bombs, 500 rockets and at least five air-to-air missiles.

If one or two bombs could not hit the targets, it is completely normal during such mammoth firepower demonstration

<b>IAF Official</b>