New Delhi: With a single nod on Wednesday, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared long-standing obstacles and legacy issues as it waved the green flag to the buying of a fleet of 83 Mk1A version of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft at about Rs 38,667 crore.
The development will inject much-needed fresh power to India’s ongoing effort to indigenize military and weapon platforms besides firming up Indian Air Force’s (IAF) plan to increase its fighter aircraft strength.
The Tejas Mk1A will, in the near future, be the mainstay of the IAF—the fourth largest air force in the world. An additional order of about 40 aircraft is understood to be in the pipeline.
Tejas Mk1A will have mid-air refuelling capability which means the operational range of the aircraft will significantly increase. This version will be equipped with advanced radars, jammers, a DRDO-made Radar Warning Receiver, and capability to fire several beyond-visual-range missiles like Derby, R-77, and the DRDO-made Astra too.
The most noteworthy feature which will significantly boost India’s ‘Make in India’ effort is that the Tejas Mk1A version is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured. It is a much-advanced version that the earlier Tejas Mk1 of which the IAF acquired 40. It is expected to have a tremendous export value which will be a shot in the arm for domestic military production.
Besides the participation of local vendors, the aircraft is being designed by the Aircraft Development Agency (ADA) under the overall control of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) while it will be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The DAC, chaired by the defence minister, is the apex procurement panel of the defence ministry.
The proposal will now be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for the final approval.
The Tejas LCA was first conceptualised in the 1970s to replace the ageing MIG-21 fleet. Faced with mounting costs, the LCA project had become a point of controversy over the inordinate time being taken. The CAG's objections to the initial version of the Tejas also did not help matters.
A single-seat, single-engine, supersonic, lightweight, all-weather, multi-role fighter designed for air-to-air, air-to-ground and air-to-sea combat roles, the Tejas will plug a vital gap in IAF’s might at a time when India’s depleting fighter aircraft strength has been a matter of deep concern.
The IAF operates about 33 fighter aircraft squadrons now whereas the required strength is at least 43 which will be the minimum needed in case of a possible two-front war. A typical Tejas squadron would comprise 20 aircraft, including four in reserve.
(This story has been reported by senior journalist Sanjib Kumar Baruah.)
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