New Delhi: Imagine bidding for the first time ever for an overseas contract to supply fighter aircraft. And winning it in the face of fierce ‘tried and tested’ competition.
In a possible sign of the times to come, for the first time ever, India is confidently responding with a homegrown fighter—the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)—to the Request for Proposal (RFP) of the Malaysian government issued on June 22 to supply 18 low-cost light fighter aircraft which is likely to be followed by another order of 18 more aircraft.
While the home-grown fourth-generation Tejas MK 1A adequately fits the bill, winning the bid would do wonders for the confidence and self-esteem of the country’s indigenous capabilities which is a special focus area of the current dispensation under the ‘Aatmanirbharta’ effort.
“While the exact details cannot be disclosed due to issues of confidentiality, we are definitely in the fray for the contract and are sufficiently confident of winning it,” Gopal Suttar, spokesperson of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) told ETV Bharat.
Also read: LCA program gains ground with HAL inking deal with GE Aviation
The state-owned HAL produces the Tejas.
The Indian Air Force is the first and biggest customer of the Tejas when in February India’s defence ministry issued a Rs 48,000 crore formal contract to HAL for the supply of 83 Tejas fighters.
Interestingly, it was at Malaysia’s Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace event in 2019 that the Tejas first flew for the first time in foreign skies.
Winning the bid in the face of eight other contenders that reportedly include the Russian Yak-130, China’s Hongdu JL-10, China-Pakistan joint JF-17 ‘Thunder’, US Boeing T-7 Red Hawk, etc would indeed work wonders for India’s self-esteem.
Among other things, it is expected to have a multiplier effect on home-grown industries particularly on small and medium enterprises and start-ups and also gainfully employ a substantial chunk of the workforce.
Also read: IAF chief RKS Bhadauria flies Tejas MK 1 FOC fighter in Bengaluru
The Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF) tender called for 18 LCA / Fighter Lead-In-Trainer (LCA/FLIT) with the request for bids closing in about two weeks on September 22, 2021. The requirement is supposed to be ten LCAs and eight FLITs. The requirement is part of the plan to equip two LCA and one FLIT squadrons totaling 36 aircraft.
According to the Jane’s defence publication, the LCAs will replace the 18 aging BAE Systems Hawk Mk 108 twin-seat and Mk 208 single-seat LCAs in service while the FLITs will replace the currently grounded fleet of seven Aermacchi MB-339CM jet trainers.
