How anyone call the Mk1A a marginal improvement over the Tejas Mk1 behooves logic!
* EL/M-2052 or Uttam AESA radar on Tejas Mk1A versus the EL/M-2032 radar on the Tejas Mk1.
AESA versus Doppler i.e. Optical Zoom versus Digital Zoom.
AESA radars are inherently more reliable than pulse Doppler radars.
* Missile Approach Warning Systems (MAWS) on Tejas Mk1A versus none on Tejas Mk1.
* DARE's Unified Electronic Warfare Suite (UEWS) on Tejas Mk1A versus none on Tejas Mk1.
* Self-Protection Jammer (SPJ) on Tejas Mk1A versus none on Tejas Mk1.
* Upgraded Radar Warning Receiver on the Tejas Mk1A .
On sensors alone, the Mk1A is leaps and bounds ahead of the Mk1 variant! But SP Aviation will call it "marginal" improvement! Even when reporting about the Tejas Mk1A, the import lobby @ SP Aviation cannot shake off their unabashed love for imported maal.
And these advanced sensors on the Mk1A will dictate a pilot's tactics and the employment of his/her weaponry. The Mk1A pilot will have a clear advantage over the JF-17, the J-10CE and even the F-16 Block 50/52 in the A2A domain. But it will be a marginal improvement onlee!
P.S. After the retirement of the MiG-21, guess which aircraft will have the fastest take-off time compared to anything else in the fleet? And that includes the gold plated Rafale or the upgraded Su-30MKI (Super Sukhoi) or the MiG-29UPG or the Mirage 2000I/TI or the upgraded Jaguar Darin III? Oops sorry, that will also be marginal improvement!