The first prototype of the twin engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF) could make its maiden flight by 2026 and be ready for production by 2031, said Girish S Deodhare, director general, Aeronautical Development Agency. The navy is looking at importing a new deck-based fighter as an interim measure to meet its requirements before the indigenous TEDBF is ready. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will produce the new fighter at the rate of eight aircraft per year, the officials said.

The French Rafale M fighter has edged out the American F/A-18 Super Hornet in a direct competition to equip the navy with 26 new deck-based fighters for INS Vikrant, the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier. The navy currently has two aircraft carriers – INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.

The TEDBF will match the capabilities of Rafale M and F/A-18 Super Hornet, Deodhare said. The Rafale is manufactured by Dassault Aviation while the Super Hornet is a Boeing product.

“The expertise gained in developing the light combat aircraft (navy) will come in handy for the TEDBF project. It’s currently in the preliminary design stage and should move forward quickly. The wing folding design mechanism (to ensure the plane takes minimum space on an aircraft carrier) has been finalised,” Deodhare said.

To be sure, LCA (navy) is only a technology demonstrator but it showcases that India has developed niche technologies specific to deck-based fighter operations, and it will pave the way to develop and manufacture the TEDBF.

Before the show began, the LCA (navy) landed and took off from INS Vikrant for the first time. Two LCA (navy) prototypes are currently operating from the aircraft carrier as part of ongoing flight trials. Vikrant was commissioned into the navy last September, marking a pivotal point in the country’s quest for self-reliance in the defence sector. The flight trials on board INS Vikrant also involve the Russian-origin MiG-29K fighter jets that use the ski-jump to takeoff and are recovered by arrestor wires or what is known as STOBAR (short takeoff but arrested recovery) in navy parlance.

INS Vikramaditya also operates MiG-29K fighters. LCA (navy) landed and took off from Vikramaditya for the first time in August 2020.

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The biennial event which completed its 14th edition in Bengaluru witnessed the largest participation of the contingent from the United States of America for the first time ever in Aero India.

Aerobatics performed by the metal birds enthralled the onlookers who had gathered in huge numbers on the last day at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in the city. India’s indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, light combat helicopters and light utility helicopters developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited were part of the show.

Besides, Rafale jets and Sukhoi aircrafts put up an impressive show during the event.
However, the most notable was the presence of F-35, B-1B Lancers, the F-16 and F-18 which too participated in the show.

Sorties by vintage aircrafts, aerobatics by Surya Kiran team of the IAF, which flew the Hawk aircrafts and Sarang (meaning peacock in Sanskrit) display team of the IAF using the HAL developed Dhruv helicopters left the audience spellbound.

The five-day event saw a number of seminars such as Manthan and Bandhan where deliberations were held on a range of subjects including India’s self-reliance programme, indigenous development of futuristic aerospace technology, India’s space initiatives, advancement in maritime surveillance system, investment opportunities in Karnataka.

There was a huge turnout at the exhibitions and displays by various companies during the show. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Indian Space Research Organisation, Bharat Electronics Limited, Defence Research and Development Organisation were among those who put up their stalls.

As many as 266 partnerships including 201 MoUs, 53 major announcements and nine product launches were firmed up at the Aero India that could unlock business potentials worth around Rs 80,000 crore. The MoUs included one between Hindustan Aeronautics and Safran Helicopter Engines of France for work share for formation of joint venture for design, development, manufacture and life time support of helicopter engines.

The agreements and the MoUs were formally signed at an event titled “Bandhan” ceremony that was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, top leaders of Indian defence industries and senior military officials.

“The Bandhan ceremony also witnessed the forging of 266 partnerships including 201 MoUs, 53 major announcements, nine product launches and three Transfers of Technology (ToT), worth around Rs 80,000 crore,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

The Bharat Electronics Ltd and Aeronautical Development Agency also inked an MoU for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The product launches at Aero India included the vertically launched short range surface-to-air missile (Bharat Dynamics Ltd).

It is a next-generation, ship-based, all-weather, air defence weapon which can be used by the Navy as a quick reaction defence against supersonic sea skimming targets such as aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The missile has a smokeless propulsion system with all-weather capability. It has a highly agile configuration with state-of-the-art electronic counter-measures features.

Another significant product launch was of the semi-active laser seeker based anti-tank guided missile developed by Bharat Dynamics Limited. The missile weighs 23 kgs with the launch tube, and can be used in different kinds of terrains to incapacitate moving and stationary targets such as tanks and infantry combat vehicles.

Another major landmark at the Aero India 2023 was the participation by Israel this year which marked 30 years of Indo-Israel defence collaboration. SIBAT, the International Defence Collaboration Directorate of the Israel Ministry of Defence, is in charge of fostering defence cooperation between Israel and India. The show saw the demonstration of some defence technologies developed by Israel including Air Defence Systems, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Aerial and Ground Precise Guided Munitions, Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems, Land and Naval Solutions, Avionic Systems, Air and Missile Defence Systems.

In a major boost to indigenous defence industry, the CMD of Munitions India Limited, Ravi Kant said that the company has got orders for more than 10 lakh multi-mode grenades for Indian armed forces and over Rs 3,000 crores of orders for exports.

The 14th edition of Aero India at the Yelahanka Air Force station complex on the outskirts of Bengaluru was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 13 february and it saw participation of over 700 defence firms and representatives of around 100 countries.

The defence minister said that Aero India showcased to the world the ‘New Defence Sector’ of ‘New India’, which has not only grown in the last few years, but is now fully ready to walk alongside the defence sectors of leading countries.

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Senior defence officials told News18 that the preliminary design review of the aircraft is over and an ambitious timeline of rolling it out by 2024 is being planned.

“The aircraft will roll out of the hangar within three-and-a-half years of the approval and within a year after that, it will have its first flight,” Dr AK Ghosh, project director of AMCA at Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), told News18.

AMCA Mk1 will fly on the existing 90kN class engine (GE 414 engines from the US) and AMCA Mk2 will be powered by a stronger engine to be developed indigenously by GTRE in partnership with a foreign player.

India has not been able to successfully design and develop a jet engine for its LCA under the Kaveri programme which was sanctioned in 1989. Talks between India and France to conclude a deal for jointly developing a 125kN engine for the AMCA are at an advanced stage.

“Initially, the IAF has indicated that it requires seven squadrons of the AMCA. This can be increased in accordance to further requirement of the IAF,” he said.

When developed and inducted into the IAF, the AMCA will bring India into a select league of nations which have developed a fifth generation fighter. So far, only the US, Russia and China have developed such advanced jets — with the F-35 Lightning II, Sukhoi Su-57, J-20 Mighty Dragon in the category.

Comparable to Global Fifth Gen Fighters

Ghosh said the AMCA will be comparable to other global fifth generation fighter jets such as American F-35 Lightning II and the Su-57 aircraft , even as the latter is in the heavyweight category. The AMCA will be in the medium weight category, which comprises 25-tonne class aircraft.

The cost of the aircraft, he said, will be determined by the package of sensors and weapons the user (IAF) seeks to have in the aircraft.

The indigenous content of the aircraft will be 75% to begin with, but the aim is to take it to 85 to 90% eventually in the years to come. The complex design of the aircraft includes an inbuilt weapons bay.

“Very shortly, we are going to initiate the development of the aircraft, and start making the prototypes. It’s a big leap from a fourth generation aircraft.”

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“LCA Mark 2 fighter aircraft development project has been cleared by the government. This would pave the way for designers to develop an advanced 17.5-tonne single-engine aircraft. Development of new aircraft is to be completed by 2027,” Aeronautical Development Agency chief Girish Deodhare told on the project.

In a telephonic conversation from Bengaluru, Deodhare said the project would benefit from the progress made in the LCA Mark 1A programme and would help in the development of the fifth generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft project.

He said the government has cleared the development of prototypes of which, the first is likely to roll out in a year and the project is scheduled to be completed by the year 2027 after extensive flying trials and other related work.
The DRDO feels that the aircraft would be in the category of the Rafale class aircraft in terms of avionics and capabilities but lighter in weight.

The government has also cleared that the engines to be used in the aircraft should be Made in India after the initial development phase.

The DRDO would be developing the aircraft with a GE-414 engine which is the advanced version of the GE-404s that power the existing LCAs in service and the 83 LCA Mark 1As which would start getting inducted into IAF in the next couple of years.

At present, 30 LCAs are in service with the IAF and two are being used by the

The AMCA aircraft development proposal is also with the government and is expected to be approved in near future but with a lot of Indigenisation inputs from the government.

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“We will be working with the ADE and ADA for the development of critical subsystems of AMCA. BEL is engaged in this program. Digital Flight Control Computers (DFCC) will not be given to us by any country. The development of the AMCA will take some time. There will be several trials that will take place.

We cannot give any time frame for the completion of the development of the DFCC,” a highly placed official from BEL on the condition of anonymity said on 29 June.

AMCA is the indigenous fifth generation fighter and the specifications are in line with the Fifth Generation aircraft technology with features like stealth, internal weapons, super cruise, serpentine air intake etc. Development of AMCA will lead to a quantum jump in technological capabilities of India.

In March this year R Madhavan, chairman and managing director, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said that AMCA program has completed the preliminary design stage and detailed design phase was commenced. The prototypes are planned to be manufactured through SPV model involving DRDO, HAL and private player(s).

Early this year a new Flight Control System (FCS) integration facility was constructed at ADE. The facility will support the Research & Development (R&D) activities for developing Avionics and FCS for the AMCA.

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The AMCA will be the first fifth-generation fighter used by the Indian Air Force (IAF). This fighter will provide many advanced and futuristic technologies to the IAF.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), and Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) are jointly developing AMCA for the needs of the IAF.

The Necessity

The AMCA project is critical for IAF, which is grappling with just 30-32 fighter squadrons and will not reach its sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons even with “planned inductions” over the next 10-15 years.

The IAF needs the AMCA for the following reasons:

•   Most of the fighter aircraft of IAF are fourth generation fighters. IAF currently does not operate any fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Leading military powers of the world have either already developed their fifth-generation jets or are in the advanced stage of their development. The US has F-22 Raptor and F-35, Russia has developed Su-57. China has developed J-20. It is imperative for India to go for a fifth-generation fighter jet when its adversary China has it.

•   China’s fifth-generation fighter J-20 entered into service in 2017. Till now at least 40 units have been manufactured. As per reports, China may have around 200 of them by 2027. This is a serious concern for India. If a new more powerful engine is developed, the J-20 will achieve its full potential and become a major headache for India.

•  Fifth-generation fighters offer a full spectrum of new technologies that are not there in fourth generation jets. These are stealth, supercruise, etc. Also, many futuristic technologies like Directed Energy Weapons, Flyby Optics can operate at their best in these fifth-generation fighter jets.

•   An indigenous platform is the most logical decision. There are very few options available for import. The USA is not likely to offer such a platform to India as it has not yet given them to many of its closest allies. Procuring and operating the F-35 is already an economic burden for US air force itself. IAF cannot afford it. The F-35 is much bigger and heavier. But, the AMCA’s technology and capabilities will be at par with any other fifth-generation fighter in the world.

•   India was working with Russia on the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) project. But it pulled back due to many issues like pricing and transfer of technology. Cost is a major issue while procuring foreign platforms. There are limitations on integrating indigenous weapons and technologies with foreign platforms.

Development of AMCA So Far

The programme was earlier known as Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA). It was re-framed in 2010 with its name as AMCA. The basic design configuration was finalized in 2015. In 2018, the defence minister declared that the feasibility study had been completed. It was also decided to complete this project in two phases. The detailed design phase of AMCA started in 2018. The process for government approval of the next phase has been initiated.

Expected Timeline

AMCA will be developed in 2 phases. They are called AMCA Mk1 and AMCA Mk2. AMCA Mk1 will be a fifth-generation fighter aircraft and AMCA Mk2 will be more advanced with some features of sixth-generation fighter aircraft. AMCA Mk1 will be rolled out by 2024. Its first flight is expected in 2025. The induction in service may start from 2030.  It may take another 10 years for the development of AMCA Mk2. A more realistic timeframe for the AMCA induction to kick-off, however, would be around 2035.

AMCA Numbers

It is expected that IAF will order 40 AMCA Mk1 and 80 Mk2. Thus, IAF is currently looking for total of 120 fifth-generation stealthy fighters. The AMCA is expected to replace Su-30 MKI in the future. But IAF operates over 272 Su-30s. With the AMCA’s induction, the fourth-generation fighters with their upgraded versions will continue to play a major role in the coming years.

Costs

Fifth Generation fighter aircraft, due to very special features, are costlier than fourth generation fighter aircraft. Since AMCA is an indigenous Fifth Generation aircraft, it is less costlier than similar aircraft available outside.

The maintenance costs are high. No country can acquire costly niche capability in large numbers. The IAF has conceptualised its need for only seven squadrons of the AMCA (including the Mark-2 version). Maintaining the stealth features makes the aircraft more expensive.

As of now, the development cost of the 25-tonne AMCA is estimated to be around Rs 15,000 crore.

Learning from Tejas Experience

The Aeronautical Development Agency and other academic institutions together developed the stealth technology. Getting stealth material was another challenge. After years of dedicated work, the team managed to overcome those challenges.

Tejas LCA was the country’s first venture into 4.5-generation combat aircraft. Nobody was ready to share knowledge. All core technologies were developed indigenously. All stakeholders have to be involved right from the beginning. Maintenance, ground support equipment, etc, have to be factored in along with proving the technologies and flying capability.

The AMCA is designed for future upgrades as its architecture allows it to incorporate new systems easily. Its basic airframe is stealth- and future-friendly.

Normally, the shelf life of an aircraft is 30 years, and the AMCA is designed to take care of upgrades for that period.

The AMCA can be teamed up with unmanned assets. There will be more unmanned assets with manned fighters controlling them.

Features

The detailed AMCA designing, which was sanctioned in December 2018, meets IAF’s “preliminary staff qualitative requirements” but the requisite powerful engine remains a major problem.

The AMCA will be available in stealth and non-stealth variants. The first two squadrons of AMCA Mark-1 will have the existing General Electric-414 afterburning turbofan engine in the 98 Kilonewton thrust class, while the next five mark-2 squadrons will have a more powerful 110 Kilonewton engine.

The advanced stealth features in the swing-role AMCA will range from “serpentine air-intake” and an internal bay for smart weapons to radar absorbing materials and conformal antenna.

The fighter will also have the supercruise capability to achieve supersonic cruise speeds without the use of afterburners as well as data fusion and multi-sensor integration with AESA (active electronically scanned array) radars.

The AMCA is envisioned as a twin-engine stealth aircraft with an internal weapons bay and Diverter-less Supersonic Intake, which has been produced for the first time and for which the design is now complete.

It will be a 25-tonne aircraft with an internal payload of 1,500 kg and an exterior payload of 5,500 kg in addition to 6,500 kg of internal fuel.

India and France are nearing a deal to collaborate on the development of a 125kN engine for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). DRDO and Safran are expected to jointly produce the advanced AMCA engine.

Safran and HAL already collaborate on the Shakti engine, which powers the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv and its variants, thus a future deal for AMCA engine between the two could be expected to be smooth.

Interim Plans

In the interim, IAF’s planned inductions include 73 Tejas Mark-1A fighters and 10 trainers, which will be delivered in the 2024-2028 timeframe under the Rs 46,898 crore deal inked with Hindustan Aeronautics in February this year. Then there is the long-pending “Make in India” project for 114 new 4.5-generation fighters with “some fifth-generation capabilities” for over Rs 1.25 lakh crore, which has seven foreign contenders and is likely to get the initial “acceptance of necessity” next year.

There are some discussions also underway about whether India should leapfrog from the Tejas Mark-1A directly to the AMCA.

Testing Technology

DRDO, in March 2022, a DRDO announcemen said, “Based on the design by ADA & DRDO, the fabrication of leading edge of AMCA initiated at HAL with special material for 5th gen design. The unit will undergo structural & other testing before putting it on the first prototype. An imp milestone for AMCA.”

Special Purpose Vehicle

In February 2022, R Madhavan, chairman of HAL had said that the company was employing a special purpose vehicle (SPV) model with private partners to produce the next-generation AMCA and Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH).

The progress in the AMCA program would mark a major shift for India which stares as a shortage of combat aircraft against the requisite strength along with an aggressive neighbour at its doorstep.

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The LCA Tejas would be the first fleet to be equipped with American JDAMs, which is going to be one of the mainstays of the force in the future, ANI quoted the sources as saying. The IAF had recently signed a contract for the JDAM kits.

Tejas is a single-engined, lightweight, highly agile, multi-role supersonic fighter. It has been designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in collaboration with the Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

Not very long back, the IAF had equipped Tejas with Hammer, the French-origin air-to-ground stand-off missiles, and also with the indigenous Astra air-to-air missiles. By adding more and more capabilities to the Tejas aircraft, the IAF is showing its support in developing the indigenous fighter aircraft programme.

How will JDAM boost IAF capabilities?
The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or “dumb bombs”, into all-weather precision-guided munitions. JDAM kits will enable Tejas fighter jets to take out enemy bunkers and runways at distances of 80 km and beyond.

This will give the homegrown aircraft a further edge over the adversary fighter jets as they would be able to destroy targets from standoff distances.

How does joint direct attack munition (JDAM) work?
The JDAM “tail kit” includes adjustable tail fins, a control computer, an inertial guidance system, and a GPS receiver. This system works well even in bad weather because it gets all its information from satellite signals, which aren’t blocked by clouds or other obstacles.

In the air, the JDAM’s GPS receiver processes signals from the GPS satellites to keep track of its own position. As with other smart bombs, the control system adjusts the flight fins to “steer” the bomb in the right direction.

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India has been making concerted attempts to boost the capability of its armed forces as the country faces what is seen as two-front war threats from China and Pakistan.

While the more superior fighters in the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet were flying around, over and near the Eastern Ladakh sectors, the light combat planes had assumed the role of a watchdog against Pakistan along the Western region.

India has been attempting to develop a variety of indigenous technology and weapon systems in order to increase defense sector self-reliance, especially for its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.

Order for 83 LCAs

In February 2021, HAL was awarded the contract to manufacture 83 LCA for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at an estimated cost of Rs 48,000 crore at the 13th edition of Aero India in Bengaluru, bringing the total number of LCA versions ordered to 123. The 40 LCAs that the IAF has already ordered are in the initial operational clearance (IOC) and advanced operational clearance (FOC) variants.

Deliveries to the IAF will begin in 2023 and end in 2024. The indigenous fighter will be outfitted with a locally-developed flight control computer and an air data computer, both of which will be provided by BEL under this deal. Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bengaluru’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) have collaborated to develop both of these systems.

The LCA Mk-1A will have a number of enhancements over the FOC aircraft, making it the most advanced LCA variant to date.

The Mk-1A variant includes digital radar warning receivers, external self-protection jammer pods, AESA radar, enhanced beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles, and greatly better maintainability. The indigenous component of the fighter is estimated to be around 60%, compared to 50% in earlier models.

On 16 December 2021, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed a a five-year deal with Bharat Electronics Limited for the development and supply of 20 types of systems for the Tejas Mk1A light combat aircraft (LCA) program. The deal, which runs from 2023 to 2028, entails supplying crucial avionics Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), Flight Control Computers, and Night Flying LRUs in what is called the biggest ever order that the state-run company has placed on any Indian company boosting ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign.

After completing the requisite design efforts, HAL has set a March 2022 timeline for the first flight of the LCA Mk-1A fighter, according to HAL chairman R Madhavan.

The LCA Tejas and its two variants in the pipeline have become the flag-bearers of India’s indigenous defense manufacturing. The new HAL contract is expected to not only give the requisite push to self-reliance but also boost the capability of the Tejas which is now being pitched to friendly countries.

Indigenous AESA Radar

The development of a indigenous AESA radar, which will be installed in the Tejas, is a big step forward and is aimed at creating a balance of power with China.

These AESA radars will be installed in all 83 Mk1A Tejas Aircraft which will boost its capability significantly. These radars, like the current avionic systems, are also largely indigenous with about 95% local component.

The AESA radar includes an electronic warfare (EW) suite with a jammer, the Combined Interrogator and Transponder (CIT) – an IFF plus system – and a digital map generator.

Hammer Missiles

Additionally, India is also procuring Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) missiles from France to integrate them with the LCA Tejas aircraft after its success with the Rafales.

They are being procured under the emergency route granted to the military in the backdrop of continuing Chinese aggression. These missiles are expected to enhance the firepower of these LCAs and allow them to strike bunker targets deep inside the enemy territory.

Tejas Mark 2 Design Cleared

The LCA) is now evolving from its current, single-engine, Mark 1 avatar to a more sophisticated, twin-engine, fifth-generation fighter. On 15 November 2021, Deputy Chief of Air Staff (DCAS), Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, accepted the comprehensive design review (CDR) of the LCA Mark 2.

A CDR is a multi-discipline, technical review that is a critical step in designing an aircraft. It involves examining the air frame design to ascertain that the aircraft is ready for fabrication and testing and it would achieve its stipulated performance within cost, schedule and risk.

The IAF’s acceptance of the CDR clears the way for HAL to start releasing drawings for fabricating the Mark 2’s first prototype.

Alongside building the Mark 2 prototype, HAL and the ADA – the DRDO agency that oversees the entire Tejas programme – must still resolve a few glitches that remain in the Mark 1 fighter; and also complete delivery of the IAF’s order of 40 Mark 1 (two squadrons) and 83 Mark 1A (four squadrons).

Status of the Indigenous Fighter Project

The first two Mark 1 squadrons are already operational in Sulur, near Coimbatore. Each of them is authorized 20 fighters, including four twin-seat trainers. The trainers’ specifications were finalised late, so they will be built along with the 10 trainers of the four Mark 1A squadrons.

The IAF has cleared the “FOC for the Mark I fighter, even though that involved granting 25 concessions – or performance shortfalls from the IAF’s specified requirements. HAL, ADA and the IAF are working together to resolve these shortfalls.

Issues Resolved

Issues which have already been resolved include equipping the Tejas to re-fuel in-flight, by day or night. This was proved by refuelling into internal fuel tanks or external drop tanks, from IL-78 refuellers or from Sukhoi-30MKI acting as “buddy refuellers.

The capability to monitor fuel levels in the Tejas through an integrated Environmental Control and Fuel Management (ECFM) system has also been resolved.

The Gasha 23 mm gun has been integrated into Tejas Mk 1 but live firing was pending. The same has also been done. 

The indigenous Astra air-to-air missile and Safran’s HAMMER air-to-ground bomb are waiting to be integrated onto the Tejas. HAL is doing the mechanical and electrical integration, while the DRDO is handling the software and the weapons algorithm.

Fatigue tests remain to establish the fighter’s service life span. These tests involve taking an aircraft from the production line and subjecting it to repetitive loading. As more and more hours are logged and the data accumulates, the manufacturer increases the designated life-span proportionately. It takes about nine years of testing to establish 3,000 hours of service life.

The digital map generator, designed by HAL’s Mission and Combat Systems R&D Centre (MCSR&DC), carries the complete map data of the country and neighbouring areas. Depending upon the Tejas’ mission, it extracts the digitised map of the current mission area and transfers it to the pilots’ display, where he can easily access it.

HAL is also integrating the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) onto the Mark 1A. The ASRAAM, which has a range of 60-70 kms was bought by the IAF from MBDA UK, for upgrading its Jaguar fighters. Now each Tejas too will carry two of these missiles on its outboard stations.

Another modification involves reshaping the cockpit floor to enable bigger pilots – with shoe size up to 10, which includes 95 per cent of all IAF pilots – to fit into the cockpit and fly the aircraft comfortably.

What Will the Tejas LCA Mk 2 be Like?

The Tejas Mark 2 is will be significantly larger and more capable than the Mk 1, with a higher thrust engine and a 1.5-metre increase in length. While there is no change in the size of the wings, they have been pushed outwards, effectively increasing the fighter’s wingspan by 300 mm.

Ahead of the wings, a canard has been added, creating a resemblance with contemporary fighters such as the Rafale, Eurofighter or the Sukhoi-30MKI. The canard provides an additional control surface that creates a vortex, increasing the lifting capability and agility of the aircraft.

The Mark 2 has increased payload capacity to integrate more weapons and sensors. It will carry the indigenous Astra Mark 1 and Mark 2 missiles, Rudram anti-radiation missiles, developed by the DRDO’s Defence R&D Laboratory (DRDL) (tested on 9 October).

DRDO is developing the Tara (high speed, low drag) bomb that is mounted on the pylons. It will also have the option of carrying laser guided bombs (LGBs), fitted with laser-guidance kits. Mark 2 may be integrated with the SCALP missile that has been procured along with the Rafale fighters.

Tejas Mark 2 will have 11 hard points, including one on each wingtip for the ASRAAM air-to-air missile. There will be three under-wing pylons on each side, one wet station on each side for fuel drop tanks, while the other three hard points are for long-range missiles such as the Astra and Rudram.

Fitted with significantly more powerful General Electric (GE) F-414 engine, the Mark 2 would have its internals rearranged, to make them more accessible and maintenance friendly. Line replacement units will be optimally rearranged to improve space utilisation, accessibility and make maintenance easier and reduce turn-around time.

Aeroengines

HAL had signed a $716 million deal with American company GE Aviation earlier this year for 99 F404 aircraft engines and related services to power the indigenous Tejas LCA Mk-1A. On top of that, it is now building its own indigenous engine that is expected to power its Tejas variants as well as its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) aircraft.

The current GE F-404 power pack will be replaced with F-414, whose peak thrust of 83 KiloNewtons (kN) is considered inadequate. The GE F-414 engine will deliver 98 kN of peak power. The new engine will enable the Mark 2 to take off with a maximum all-up weight of 16.5 tonnes, which will include the 10-tonne weight of the fighter and 6.5 tonnes of external payload.

The Tejas Mark 2 can carry 3.5 tonnes of fuel in external drop tanks, in addition to 3.3 tonnes in its internal fuel tanks, while still carrying three tonnes of weapons and sensors.

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