Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said it already has three “flight line-ready” Tejas MK1A fighter jets, which will be fitted with GE-F404 turbofan jet engines once they arrive in March.
In a major update about India’s ambitious Tejas MK1A fighter jet program, US manufacturer General Electric (GE) will begin the delivery of modified aeroengines for the indigenously-built light combat aircraft from next month. According to state-owned defence manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), it already has three “flight line-ready” Tejas MK1A jets, which will be fitted with GE-F404 turbofan jet engines once they arrive in March.
Tejas MK1A jets roll out
A top defence official said that HAL will have five Tejas MK1A jets and four trainers ready by March-April, adding that the fitment process would take mere days, once the engine start arriving, Times of India (TOI) reported.
As per the official, the Tejas MK1A fighter jets have been equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems and Israeli radars, and work is underway to test the indigenous Astra air-to-air missile from the single-engine jet soon. He said that the first Tejas MK1A will be rolled out “in a month or two”.
HAL to increase Tejas production
HAL claims that it can gradually increase production to churn out as many as 20 Tejas MK1A combat jets each year, which could be increased increased to 24 in the future, if the engines are delivered on time. HAL’s third production line is now operational in Nashik, in addition to the two existing production lines in Bengaluru.
Additionally, the manufacturer is also sub-contracting private companies to make wings, fuselages and other parts, which could potentially increase Tejas production to 30 annually.
The Tejas MK1A fighter jet took its first flight in March last year, but the project has been hampered due to prolonged delay in the delivery of 99 GE-404 engines, that has been delayed by almost two years.
In August 2021, HAL had inked a Rs 5,375 crore contract with GE, and engines were scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2023, after another deal was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit that year.
For this, HAL had signed a contract of Rs 5,375 crore in August 2021. Another official said that GE has now promised to start delivery next month. It will deliver 12 engines in 2026 and 20 engines every year thereafter.
But the delivery has faced prolonged delays, halting the IAF’s induction schedule, and adversely affecting its operational preparedness, leading Defence Ministry to impose on the US manufacturer. Till date, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has received 38 of the first 40 Tejas MK1A fighters Rs 8,802 crore under two contracts signed in 2006 and 2010.
IAF’s aging fleet amid China, Pakistan’s rising air power
While India struggles to build an indigenous 4th-generation fighter, China has already unveiled two 6th-generation combat planes, raising worries for IAF as rival nations, including Pakistan, and more recently Bangladesh, continue bolster their aerial power.
The first of the 83 ‘improved’ Tejas MK1A jets contracted with HAL under a Rs 46,898 crore deal in February 2021, is now expected to be delivered in next few months, while another order of 97 Tejas MK1A fighters worth Rs 67,000 crore is also in the pipeline. According to experts, these 220 Tejas MK1A jets, along with 108 Tejas Mark-2 variants that feature more powerful engines, are crucial for the IAF to tackle the dual challenge from China and Pakistan.
As per officials HAL and GE and engaged in final techno-commercial negotiations for co-production of the GE-F414 engines in India, with a proposal involving 80% technology transfer for around $1.5 billion. The new 98 kilonewton thrust class engines will power the Tejas MK2 fighter jets, boasting the combat range and weapon carrying capacity of these warplanes.
About Tejas MK1A fighter jet
Developed by ADA, and manufactured by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Tejas MK1A is a 4.5 generation, single-engine, multirole light fighter aircraft featuring updated avionics, active electronically scanned array radar, updated electronic warfare suite, and increased indigenous content.
The Tejas MK1A, which aligns with India’s “Make in India” initiative, aims to replace the IAF’s aging fleet of MiG-21 s, and enhance its operational readiness. The first flight of the Tejas Mk1A prototype took place in May 2022, and the first production series Mark 1A aircraft (LA 5033) made its first flight in March 2024,
Besides the delays in obtaining new engines, the Tejas Mk1A is also battling a Danish export ban on the aircraft’s engine charge amplifier, apart from delays in the delivery of software from Israel, and required certifications.
In August 2022, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the development of Tejas Mark-2 along with prototypes, flight training and certification at a cost of over Rs 9,000 crore. The long-delayed Tejas Mark-1 (weighing 13.5 tonnes) was intended to replace the obsolete MiG-21, while the Mark-2 version (17.5 tonnes) will replace fighters like the Mirage-2000, Jaguar and MiG-29 in the IAF fleet.
