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India orders probe into unsuccessful firing of laser-guided bomb

Xinhua, March 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

India has ordered a probe into the unsuccessful firing of a laser-guided bomb by its home-made Tejas light combat aircraft during a recent military exercise in the western state of Rajasthan, sources said on Tuesday.

"The bomb was fired from the Indian Air Force aircraft but it missed the target during the Iron Fist 2016 exercise Friday. A probe has been ordered to ascertain what happened during the firing. Initial investigation has ruled out pilot error or any technical glitch," the sources said.

"We suspect that the laser-guided kit imported from Israel might have actually malfunctioned. But it is yet to be officially established in the probe. Let us wait for the investigation report to come to a conclusion," they added.

Tejas is an Indian single-seat jet, multi-role light fighter aircraft. It is a tailless, compound delta-wing design powered by a single engine.

It came from the light combat aircraft program, which began in the 1980s to replace India's ageing MiG-21 combat jets. Endit