An Indian Air Force (IAF) light combat aircraft “Tejas”. File.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday announced the successful high-altitude trial of an indigenous integrated life support system (ILSS) for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The On-Board Oxygen Generating System-based (OBOGS) ILSS is designed to generate and manage breathable oxygen for aircrew during flight, eliminating the need for traditional liquid oxygen cylinder-based systems, it stated.
The trial was carried out by the Bengaluru-based Defence Bio-Engineering & Electro Medical Laboratory (DEBEL), a lab under the DRDO. The system with appropriate modifications can also be used in MiG 29K and other series of aircraft, the DRDO said in a statement.
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The ILSS was flown in LCA-PV-3 aircraft of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited/ Aeronautical Development Agency and the system was subjected to stringent conditions as per well-established aero-medical standards in addition to varied flight conditions that include altitudes of up to 50,000 feet and high g forces, it stated.
Performance parameters of the ILSS such as OBOGS oxygen concentrations, demand breathing, availability of 100% O2, aerobatic manoeuvres at required altitudes for full functional testing were conducted after obtaining flight clearance from the Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC). “The system has met all the specified parameters,” the DRDO said.
Apart from the OBOGS, the ILSS has 10 other line replaceable units which enable the continuous real-time generation of breathing oxygen for pilots during the flight. The system was manufactured by Larsen and Toubro as the development-cum-production partner and constitutes 90% indigenous content, the DRDO added.
Published – March 05, 2025 07:09 pm IST