Air Force Tejas Mk1A: News & Discussions: 02 January 2022

[Ankit Desai]

Anantha Krishnan: https://x.com/writetake/status/1920395966277943427

1. The first Tejas Mk1A from @HALHQBLR’s Nashik Division (the third #LCA production plant), fitted with a CAT-B engine, is expected to have its first flight sometime in June, ahead of being handed over to the #IAF.

2. The first Tejas Mk1A fitted with the new #GE #F404IN20 engine (delivered in March this year) is being prepared in #Bengaluru, with a few design and development activities still to be completed.

-Ankit

[basant]

At 25min, Bharat Karnad revealed that an Israeli pilot once said that if only they had Tejas, it would have been sufficient.

[basant]

HAL to Deliver 12 LCA Mk1A Fighter Jets to Indian Air Force This Year

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the government-owned aerospace and defence manufacturing enterprise, made a key announcement on Friday. With engine supplies commencing from American tech giant General Electric, HAL expressed confidence in delivering 12 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A fighter jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF) this year. Company representatives, speaking during the announcement of financial results, stated that the first fighter jet would be ready within the next two months.

[Rakesh]

X-Post from the Tejas Mk2 Medium Weight Fighter: News & Discussion thread...

That means they are giving us nothing and also have the leverage to screw us when geopolitics comes to play.

quite true, all it takes is for trump to have a headache

don't know how the true the tweet below is, but FWIW....

https://x.com/Harinderindi22/status/1926614196835258573 ---> GE fails to deliever second F404 engine on time.

[maitya]

DDP MOD - GOI publication - Pt (vi)
So 2nd F404 is scheduled for July'25 ... and then 2/month thereafter ...

[ashishvikas]

VEM Tech to hand over Centre Fuselage Assembly for LCA Tejas to HAL

https://www-thehindu-com.cdn.ampproject ... 621206.ece

[Khalsa]

Can't see its a new delay. I think the existing FUBAR continues until July and then begins to turn.
Yep fund the goddammn Kaveri for LCA MK2 and AMCA.

This tamasha will kill us

[Bharadwaj]

This is the official HAL earnings call from two weeks back. There appears to be no new delay and 11 more are expected till calendar year end. Better to stick to the formal communication channels since HAL is a listed company and has obligations to report on any such matters that have material effect on forecasts.

[ashishvikas]

Milestone in Indigenous Defence Manufacturing

The first Centre Fuselage for #LCATejas Mk1A was handed over to #HAL by VEM Technologies today in Hyderabad, in the presence of Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, #DefenceProduction, Ministry of Defence, and Dr. D. K. Sunil, CMD, #HAL.

In his address, Shri Sanjeev Kumar stated that defence production in India is growing at a very significant rate, and the government is providing strong impetus through the vision of #AatmanirbharBharat.

A boost to #AatmanirbharDefence
and Make in India in defence production!

https://x.com/defprodnindia/status/1928 ... 43541?s=46

[Bharadwaj]

Finally!!!. This will immediately become the most capable a2a asset of IAF. A fine aesa radar and the scorpious pod combined with the natural low rcs of Tejas will be a total pain for our neighbours to deal with. But why the one from Nashik gets handed over before 5033? Or am I reading the article wrong.

After Air chief's rap on delays, HAL set to hand over Tejas Mk-1A this month
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/a ... 2025-06-03
03 June 2025

Delays in the supply of F404 engines from US-based GE Aerospace have pushed the Tejas Mk-1A programme over a year past its original timeline. Earlier this year too, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh put HAL officials on blast over the delays.

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/DefenceDecode/status/1930476986230526321 ---> Buddy refueling between Su-30MKI and LCA Tejas. [It is a tactical, flexible method where one combat jet acts as a mini tanker for another, enhancing range and endurance in the absence of strategic tanker aircraft.]

[Manish_P]

Sssh Admiral sir, let's not promote this flexibility. Bean counters will use this to delay the tanker aquisition even more..

[pravula]

Sssh Admiral sir, let's not promote this flexibility. Bean counters will use this to delay the tanker aquisition even more..

They don't need any new excuse. They have started wet nursing leasing...

[Manish_P]

..

They don't need any new excuse. They have started wet nursing leasing...

Sir, at least the west leasing is of dedicated Tanker aircrafts.

I would not be surprised if some Babu in the ministry says to the IAF 'hey you already have got 270 by 9 = 30 tankers. And they are armed for self protection as well'.

[A Deshmukh]

During conflict Tankers can become easy targets for BVRAAMs.
Any particular mission cannot be aborted if a tanker goes down.
Su-30 refueling Tejas provides a plan B, if tanker goes down.

[pravula]

If your AAR is within the range of enemy missiles, then something has gone terribly wrong and it would be a mission abort.

[Manish_P]

During conflict Tankers can become easy targets for BVRAAMs.
Any particular mission cannot be aborted if a tanker goes down.
Su-30 refueling Tejas provides a plan B, if tanker goes down.

Don't Saar, pls. don't give ideas to our baboonjis

[konaseema]

Maybe another squadron or two of Su-30 MKI's with the Super Sukhoi upgrade, dedicated to play EW (Desi Growler) / Buddy Refueling role wouldn't be a bad idea, given the mess that USA has created. As they say quantity has its own quality, this is the best bet given the fix we are with respect to squadron strength.

[fanne]

With everything going on - f404 delay/sabotage, rafale long lead time, cost and inability to share codes, perhaps the easiest and most obvious answer is get some 100 more super sukhois. Built home, include more private plates and churn 30/40 a year.

That gives us some respectable number. With 1 meter dia, any gan radar may be able to detect stealth at distance. Give it integration, data fusion of 5th/6th gen.

[williams]

With everything going on - f404 delay/sabotage, rafale long lead time, cost and inability to share codes, perhaps the easiest and most obvious answer is get some 100 more super sukhois. Built home, include more private plates and churn 30/40 a year.

That gives us some respectable number. With 1 meter dia, any gan radar may be able to detect stealth at distance. Give it integration, data fusion of 5th/6th gen.

That program is already on. But still CCS final decision is pending Here is the history:

AON - 30 Nov 2023 - DAC - Specification defined

EoI - May 2024 - DRDO - Timeframe defined 32 months

Aug 2024 - MOD wants HAL to purchase 230 AL 31 FP engines

September 2024 - first engine delivered

Now CCS will decide for a 5-7 year upgrade process for 84 jets


Now God only knows how long it will take for the Russians to deliver their stuff and how long our folks are going to take to actually deliver.

Bottom line we have made good progress on many Indigenous systems including some 5th gen stuff. Our manufacturing tech is still 1 generation behind the western world. The last nail in the coffin is the engine and private sector as full system integrators (employing next gen manufacturing tech). Once that is done, we can expect the timelines to improve. Right now we cannot expect any improvement in timelines and there is no magic wand

if we can keep up at the same phase for the next 5 years. We will see the end of the tunnel IMO.

[Rakesh]

Procurement of 97 upgraded Tejas Mk-1A jets from HAL likely to begin in FY27: Govt official
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/busin ... 01435.html
06 June 2025

HAL has enhanced the domestic share of components, with key systems like radar and high-frequency radios now being produced by Bharat Electronics Ltd.

The procurement of 97 upgraded Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets, under a Rs 67,000-crore procurement plan from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), is likely to begin only in financial year 2026–27 (FY27), a senior government official said. The per-unit cost – estimated around Rs 600 crore – has risen, partly due to foreign exchange volatility linked to the aircraft’s US-imported engine. The large-scale order, expected to be cleared by the Cabinet shortly, marks the next phase in India’s indigenous fighter jet programme, after the previous order for 83 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft that was placed in 2021 and valued around Rs 48,000 crore.

“The procurement will be spread over 4-5 years, starting FY27, and will cost around Rs 600 crore per unit as this is an advanced version,” the official told Moneycontrol. The aircraft is powered by the General Electric F404 engine, and the fluctuation in the rupee-dollar exchange rate has contributed to the cost escalation, the official explained. Despite the forex-related impact, HAL has made significant progress on indigenisation. The indigenous content in the upgraded Tejas has now reached 60 percent, up from around 50 percent in earlier versions. “HAL has worked to enhance the domestic share of components, with key systems like radar and high-frequency radios now being produced by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL),” the official added.

Engine supply now stable

In its latest earnings call held in May 2025, HAL Chairman and Managing Director D K Sunil confirmed that supply-chain issues relating to General Electric’s F404 engines – which power the Tejas Mk-1A – have now been resolved. The first engine was delivered in April, and tested and integrated into an aircraft. GE has committed to supplying 12 engines by December 2025, HAL stated. “So, the visibility is that 12 aircraft will be ready this year with these engines,” Sunil said. “We expect that since GE has overcome the supply-chain issue, deliveries will continue in the succeeding years and should be smooth,” he said.

The upcoming order will help HAL stabilise production lines at its Bengaluru and Nashik facilities. Officials said the output will eventually be scaled up to 24 aircraft annually. The new order is expected to provide the necessary demand visibility for HAL to plan further investments and resource mobilisation, including through its Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers. The previous order for 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets is now in an advanced stage of execution. Following delays caused by a hold-up in engine supplies from General Electric, HAL has assured the Ministry of Defence that it is on track to begin deliveries by mid-2025. The entire batch is expected to be completed by 2028, according to HAL.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/DefSysCI/status/1932457409815150603 ---> HAL will be procuring 140 antenna units of the Tejas Mk1a's Uttam AESA radar from Astra Microwave Private Limited (AMPL) in two batches of 33 and 107 units. The combined cost of AMPL's quotations for both batch orders is Rs. 2,760 crore ($320 million at present exchange rate).

[Cain Marko]

Procurement of 97 upgraded Tejas Mk-1A jets from HAL likely to begin in FY27: Govt official
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/busin ... 01435.html
06 June 2025

HAL has enhanced the domestic share of components, with key systems like radar and high-frequency radios now being produced by Bharat Electronics Ltd.

The procurement of 97 upgraded Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets, under a Rs 67,000-crore procurement plan from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), is likely to begin only in financial year 2026–27 (FY27), a senior government official said. The per-unit cost – estimated around Rs 600 crore – has risen, partly due to foreign exchange volatility linked to the aircraft’s US-imported engine. The large-scale order, expected to be cleared by the Cabinet shortly, marks the next phase in India’s indigenous fighter jet programme, after the previous order for 83 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft that was placed in 2021 and valued around Rs 48,000 crore.

This is great news. But before I celebrate, does the article suggest another other of 97 mk1A? So total Tejas =
40 mk1
83 mk1A
97 mk1A

Total 220 Tejas mk1A? WOW!

Considering that the Kaveri is getting close to F404 specs, this is a fantastic bit of news.

[Bharadwaj]

HAL gears up for Tejas Mk1A deliveries

https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing ... 88.article

HAL has a contract for 83 Mk1As. Sunil expects a long-awaited follow-up order for 97 examples to close this year.

The Tejas Mk1A is an important upgrade for the type. It features an active electronically scanned array radar, improved cockpit displays, a new mission computer, and other improvements. It is also easier to maintain than the previous MK1, of which 40 were produced.

“We have a far more capable computer, and we should be able to add more and more weapons as we go along,” says Sunil.

[Bharadwaj]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-ne ... 44643.html

First Nashik-produced LCA Mk-1A set for maiden flight in July

“The Nashik production line will roll out four to five Mk-1A fighters this year, followed by eight annually next year onwards. It will help us make up for the delay in deliveries due to factors including US firm GE Aerospace’s inability to supply F404- IN20 engines on time and some pending certifications,” said one of the officials cited above, asking not to be named.

Why not take ADA's help in getting the upgrades certified? Hal is really losing the plot. I say this as a worried shareholder. The article states the first bird will be handed over July-August from Bengaluru.

[ashishvikas]

^^

GE Aerospace delivered the first of 99 F404-IN20 engines to HAL in March. The second engine is expected to be delivered in July, followed by two every month until December, the officials said, adding that deliveries will be accelerated next year onwards.

[ernest]

“The Nashik production line will roll out four to five Mk-1A fighters this year, followed by eight annually next year onwards. It will help us make up for the delay in deliveries due to factors including US firm GE Aerospace’s inability to supply F404- IN20 engines on time and some pending certifications,” said one of the officials cited above, asking not to be named.

Why not take ADA's help in getting the upgrades certified? Hal is really losing the plot. I say this as a worried shareholder. The article states the first bird will be handed over July-August from Bengaluru.

I think they misquoted it (typical MSM). The original was delay in GE404-IN20, because the line was restarted, and recertification was required at GE's end. Not anything that is pending certification from HAL's side, that I know of.

HAL will make up for earlier delay by this year's end, given GE delivers on engine - that is direct from their investors call. MSM is mixing things up

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/Sputnik_India/status/1934910439256658200 ---> HAL is set to wrap up all trials of India's indigenous fighter jet by July, sources told Sputnik India. Delays caused by US engine supply issues, now resolved. Watch for more details.

[ashishvikas]

https://x.com/shreedharsingh9/status/19 ... 83428?s=46

[Rakesh]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-ne ... 44643.html

First Nashik-produced LCA Mk-1A set for maiden flight in July

“The Nashik production line will roll out four to five Mk-1A fighters this year, followed by eight annually next year onwards. It will help us make up for the delay in deliveries due to factors including US firm GE Aerospace’s inability to supply F404- IN20 engines on time and some pending certifications,” said one of the officials cited above, asking not to be named.

Un-named official versus HAL Chief. Remember the below, when the wisdom of 114 MRFA is questioned.

https://x.com/CNBCTV18Live/status/1937433652784431397 ---> IAF to get at least 6 Tejas Jets by March 2026, says HAL Chief.

[VinodTK]

^^^^^IAF to get at least 6 Tejas jets by March, delays due to engine unavailability: HAL chief

New Delhi, Jun 24 (PTI) The Indian Air Force will get at least half-a-dozen Tejas Light Combat Aircraft by March 2026, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd CMD D K Sunil has said, weeks after the IAF chief flagged serious concerns over delays in the delivery of the jets.

Sunil, chairperson and managing director of the aviation behemoth, attributed the delivery delays to US defence major GE Aerospace missing the deadline for supply of its engines to power the fighter jets.

The slippage in the delivery schedule for the LCA Mk-1A variant of the jet had become a major issue with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh raising the matter publicly.

Sunil said the delay was caused only due to the US firm’s inability to supply the F404 engines on time.

In an exclusive interview with PTI Videos, the HAL chief said GE Aerospace is expected to supply 12 engines in the current fiscal. This will facilitate delivery of the jets to the IAF.

“Every company goes through its fair share of criticisms. It does happen. Unfortunately, in the case of LCA Mark 1A, we have built the aircraft. As of today, we have six aircraft lined up,” he said.

“But the engine deliveries have not happened from GE Aerospace. They were to deliver the engines in 2023. Till date, we have got only one engine,” he added.

The delay from GE side was initially due to production timelines falling behind during the Covid pandemic, and the subsequent departure of many senior engineers from the company, causing cascading supply chain bottlenecks.

According to Sunil, the technical issues with GE Aerospace have been sorted out and HAL is set to receive 12 jet engines by March 2026.

“I can assure you that as of today, six aircraft are ready. There is no let up from our side. We are building those aircraft and getting them ready and we will be in a position to deliver (by this fiscal),” he said.

HAL plans to produce 16 jets in the coming year provided there is steady flow of engine supplies by GE Aerospace.

In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF.

The ministry is also in the process of procuring 97 more LCA Mk-1As at a cost around Rs 67,000 crore.

The single-engine Mk-1A will be a replacement for the IAF’s MiG-21 fighters.

The IAF is looking at inducting the warplanes as the number of its fighter squadrons has gone down to 31 from officially sanctioned strength of 42.

Tejas is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments. It has been designed to undertake air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles.

Sunil said the Tejas Mk-1A is a world class aircraft comprising a high-quality radar, electronic warfare suites and an array of missiles.

“It has got a full complement of avionics and weapons which make the aircraft a very potent platform. It will be very good for our Air Force,” he said.

Sunil said a number of countries have evinced interest in the Tejas jet and the HAL is holding talks with some of them. “We are talking to many countries on Tejas. I hope we will have a breakthrough soon,” he said, declining to elaborate further.

He also talked about HAL winning a mega contract to supply Prachand helicopters to the Indian military.

In March, the defence ministry firmed up the procurement of 156 light combat helicopter Prachand from the HAL at a cost of Rs 62,700 crore to bolster the combat capability of the military.

The HAL top executive said the delivery of Prachand will begin in 2028.

Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand is India’s first indigenously designed and developed combat helicopter having capability of operating at an altitude of over 4500 metres.

[Bharadwaj]

In the original interview with PTI he very clearly says 12 aircraft this financial year. PTI came up with this at least 6 aircraft misreport and everybody else is following it.

[Prem Kumar]

“I can assure you that as of today, six aircraft are ready. There is no let up from our side. We are building those aircraft and getting them ready and we will be in a position to deliver (by this fiscal),” he said.

These are the kinds of weasel-words that make HAL not trustworthy. When their chairman Sunil says the above, does he mean he will deliver 6 aircraft or 12? If GE delivers 12 engines by March 2026, then by that date (or say max 1 more month), HAL should deliver 12 aircraft

Earlier, the previous HAL Chief lied that they will deliver on time & when caught, blamed GE for it. Why promise when you know GE engines are delayed? And they are using the engine delay to hide their own incompetence/delays - there were delays in certifications - not at all related to engines

We badly need a non-public-sector alternative to HAL, even if it takes 10 years to materialize

[Bharadwaj]

VIDEO: https://x.com/PTI_News/status/1937408716984479838

He very clearly says 12 aircraft in the financial. They have six already waiting for engines. The others are presumably being built.

[rrao]

“I can assure you that as of today, six aircraft are ready. There is no let up from our side. We are building those aircraft and getting them ready and we will be in a position to deliver (by this fiscal),” he said.

These are the kinds of weasel-words that make HAL not trustworthy. When their chairman Sunil says the above, does he mean he will deliver 6 aircraft or 12? If GE delivers 12 engines by March 2026, then by that date (or say max 1 more month), HAL should deliver 12 aircraft

Earlier, the previous HAL Chief lied that they will deliver on time & when caught, blamed GE for it. Why promise when you know GE engines are delayed? And they are using the engine delay to hide their own incompetence/delays - there were delays in certifications - not at all related to engines

We badly need a non-public-sector alternative to HAL, even if it takes 10 years to materialize

Why ppl are blaming HAL , when the promised engines have not arrived? what can HAL do about it? Govt should use its good offices to see that engines are delivered as soon as possible...since we can't blame GE ,we keep blaming HAL... if KAVERI is delivered in time ,HAL could have done better. Jeff dunham " ACHMED THE DEAD TERRORIST" the terrorist puppet keeps saying SILENCE I KILL YOU...

[ashishvikas]

After following this thread since many years, I’ll say - take HAL Chiefs statement lightly.

They don’t take responsibility of what they say and almost always come up with an excuse or new dates.

When GE isn’t delivering why to give a delivery target and keep revising it?

Mostly people aren’t blaming HAL, but their unprofessional Chiefs and their false promises.

[TVenky]

HAL has never delivered anything "on-time" i.e precisely on the said-date & tine..
HAL (all of Indian Gov & Pvt) companies WILL NOT deliver 'anything/everything' "on-time".. There will always be delays ... Being slow, lethargic, lack of urgency, etc is in our DNA. Even God can't help us..

Even if US & GE is not screwing us deliberately as it is now, HAL et all will NOT deliver on-time.. Let us go to sleep with this in mind.

btw, It is not just F404 and Tejas MK1, MK1A,... The delay will inevitably happen with F414 and AMCA MK1...

I do not see any positive change or improvement in our DNA for at least next 50-60 years.

[Rakesh]

In the original interview with PTI he very clearly says 12 aircraft this financial year. PTI came up with this at least 6 aircraft misreport and everybody else is following it.

Financial year will end on March 31, 2026. Let us hope HAL meets its target of 12 aircraft by then.

But if it does not happen, will HAL Chief take accountability? Doubtful.

He will pass the blame onto GE or some other issue. It is never the PSU, always someone else.

If they knew the engines were going to be delayed, why give timelines?

[Rakesh]

The real mistake is not funding Kaveri. License production of someone's else engine is not really a game changer.

https://x.com/VinodDX9/status/1937737540254974028 ---> I'll say that we have made a mistake by not having long term plans from the beginning for Tejas in large numbers and subsequently by not having an Indian production line of the F404-GE-IN20.

[Rakesh]

And this is the jet that we decided to put a foreign engine on. Wonderful clarity of thought

https://x.com/Ray70409890/status/1937891576883356034 ---> Tejas is the only jet in IAF inventory that can be equipped with European, Israeli and Russian WVRAAM. This the beauty of INDIGENOUS stuff. You can tweak, modify, upgrade and add whatever you want. You don't have to pay a single rupee to foreign OEMs for integration. You are the BOSS.