The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas Mk-I is all set to achieve Initial Operational Clearance-2 on December 20. Forget the critics, this combat jet is now all set to be flown by serving pilots of the Indian Air force (IAF) who are going to miss the Mig-21 FL a lot less once they get their hands on this baby.

As Defence Minister A K Antony watched from under a shamiyana overlooking the runway, two Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) came screaming, bombs and missiles fitted under wings, lifting effortlessly into the sky. As the fighters quickly faded into specks and then out of sight, hundreds of spectators watched two giant projector screens that played out video being transmitted live from the pilots' cockpits.

As the pilots positioned for their air-to-ground attack mission, the commentator revealed their target — the spectators' shamiyana. The screen showed the view from the pilot's head-up display (HuD) as he locked his navigation-attack system onto the target. Even as both fighters simulated a successful bomb release, a third Tejas closed in behind them. This was a friendly fighter on an air-to-air mission, tasked to shoot down the intruders. The projector screens switched to the pilot's helmet mounted display system (HMDS), which allows him to aim his weapons merely by looking at the target. In seconds, the intruders were in the 'no-escape zone' of his R-73 air-to-air missiles. Mission accomplished!.