The wait is more than. By 2026, the Indian Air Force will get indigenous fighter aircraft in its fleet – the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) `Tejas’. On January 13, 2021, the CCS has place its stamp of approval for 73 Tejas Mk 1A and 10 Tejas Mk 1 trainers which will be created by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at its facility positioned in Bengaluru.
What does HAL say?
According to R Madhavan, CMD, HAL, “The Tejas program has received a major shot in the arm in boosting the `Atamanirbhar’ drive in the aerospace and aeronautics.
How will the HAL produce so many aircraft?
“The production of these fighters will be taking place at the newly created state-of-the-art facility in Bengaluru. The rate of production is being augmented from 8 to 16 aircraft per year,” says the HAL CMD.
Indigenization
There is going to be highest level of indigenisation in comparison to any programme of this scale. In the words of the CMD, “There will be progressive indigenisation of critical technologies and this will make India a technologically self-reliant nation.” Adding, “The programme is also going to look at developing technologies indigenously.”
More about the system
According to HAL, “LCA-Tejas programme which is following the integrator system has created a national aerospace ecosystem, And there are around 560 companies from large to SMEs are participating in this. These encompass all the facets of aircraft design and manufacturing.”
Once the LCA MK1A system kicks-off, more than 5000 jobs are anticipated to be developed across the nation and it will enable in fostering the regional industries and enable in Skill Development of the young work force.
As of today, there are more than 200 Indian firms which are currently involved in the in tooling, GSEs, and GHEs supplies for the system. And, 50,000 key and secondary jobs have been developed across the nation.
First Time
In the history of the country’s aerospace history, below the LCA-system partnership with the private players has enabled manufacturing of the aircraft fuselage and wings.
VEM technologies, L&T, DTL, Alpha Toccol, TAML, Data Patterns, Pendios, Compupower and lots of other people are some of the firms which are contributing in the LCA programme.
View of a former CMD of HAL
Sharing his view with TheSpuzz Online, former CMD of HAL Dr RK Tyagi says, “It will create an excellent ecosystem with HAL, BEL, L&T and other 160 plus Indian Companies and S/MSMEs.” Adding, “As Chairman HAL, IOC (initial operational clearance) was achieved on Dec 20, 2013. And, we delivered first Series Production aircraft (SP-1) to Air Chief Arup Raha and it was in the presence of Manohar Parrikar, the then Defence Minister on Jan 17, 2015 (in just 13 months).”
Three recommendations by the former CMD Dr RK Tyagi
“I suggest we form a national advisory group of LCA for effective execution and technology adoptions. There is a need for HAL to increase annual production capacity. And LCA skills be converted into a new National program-IRTA (Indian Regional Transport Aircraft.”
Made in India Tejas fighter planes: IAF to location an order for 83 LCA Mk1A year-finish
What did CCS approve?
The CCS chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi authorized procurement of 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircrafts and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 Trainer aircraft at the price of Rs. 45,696 Crore. And Design and Development of Infrastructure sanctions worth Rs 1,202 Crore.
To the Ministry of Defence statement, the procurement of the combat aircraft is the very first below `Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)’ category procurement.
It has an indigenous content of 50 per cent which is anticipated to go up to 60 per cent by the finish of the programme.
Also, approval has been provided for the infrastructure improvement by IAF which will enable in handling repairs or servicing at their base depot.
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Why?
Will allow IAF to sustain the fleet more effectively and correctly due to availability of repair infrastructure at respective bases.
Because the turnaround time would get lowered for mission important systems. This will lead to enhanced availability of aircraft for operational exploitation.
Tejas, indigenous light combat aircraft, gets FOC! HAL to roll out new LCA by year-finish what it indicates for IAF
Doors for exports open
With the order for IAF authorized, the doors are open to export these Made in India fighter jets to other nations. As has been reported by TheSpuzz Online, India is exploring the possibilities of exports to not only the ASEAN area but to South America and the African nations.
According to a leading official who spoke to TheSpuzz Online on situation of anonymity, “There have been queries from Malaysia and other neighboring countries. And this means that the fighter aircraft being produced by the state-owned HAL has got international recognition for its design capability and also received validation for the machine and indigenous technology on board.”
As reported earlier, as soon as the LCA gets exported to any nation specially in the South East Asian nations, it will open up an array of possibilities for other platforms such as SU-30 and Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) `Hawk’, as effectively the helicopters.
In 2019, the HAL had showcased two fighters in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2019 in Malaysia for the very first time. These two LCA had been ferried by the IAF and had participated in the flight displays alongside the Royal Malaysian Air Force as effectively Jupiter Aerobatic Team of Indonesia.
Boost for Made in India Tejas: Southeast Asian nation keen on acquiring LCA
Malaysia was a single of the very first nations from the area expressing interest in Light Combat Aircraft as they wanted to add on to their current fleets in its air force.
When did `Tejas’ have its very first international exposure?
It was in 2016, throughout the Bahrain International Air Show in 2016.
Setting offices overseas
In 2020, the government has set an ambitious defence export target at USD 5 billion in the next 5 years. All the important military companies in India are working challenging to accomplish this target.
And, the HAL is now focusing on boosting exports and has began focusing on with the concentrate on attaining the USD 5 billion in defence export and has identified South East Asia, West Asia and North Africa. The items it is keen on exporting incorporates important platforms which includes the Tejas, Attack Helicopter `Rudra’ and ALH `Dhruv’.
The state-owned organization is also preparing to setting up upkeep facilities in the South East Asian Region in nations which includes Vietnam, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.