The first prototype of the naval LCA Tejas, NP1, blasted off the shore-based test facility (SBTF) at the INS Hansa naval air station in Goa today, kicking off the next phase of testing on the country’s first naval combat aircraft platform. The National Flight Test Centre’s Cmde TA Maolankar flew the jet on today’s sortie that involved only a ski-jump take-off but a conventional landing. Arrested landings till take place in the second phase of SBTF test flights.