Tejas Mk2 Medium Weight Fighter: News & Discussion - 23 February 2019

[Manish_P]

A weird statement IMVHO....

The Mk2 will be ahead of the Mk1A, in every respect.

VIDEO: https://x.com/ANI/status/1974037991187173848 ---> Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh says, "As far as LCA Mk2 is concerned, according to me, LCA Mk2 is sort of an extension of Mk1A. It is a bigger platform with almost, it's a similar class if I say generation-wise, but it will be able to carry more weapons. It will be able to perform better in terms of range and endurance. It will be able to carry bigger weapons. So that is why that falls very much in our scheme of things..."

Maybe the IAF chief seems to be saying they both are essentially single engine birds with incremental iterative capability enhancement .
The difference is not huge like the single engine Mirage 2000 vs the twin engine Rafale

[Cybaru]

AMCA will definitely replace half the fleet of Su30s...
If at all they need a Heavier Replacement for Su30s, they might go for Su57 or ADA will have to start a new program after AMCA and call it HCA...

IMO, AMCA will replace all of MKI fleet. It may not carry as much load as MKI, but its profile matches MKI every which way. MKI is inefficient in front of AMCA. If we want to match the load of MKI fleet, an extra squadron or two will even make that happen.

I also think given tech like MUMT, even the extra order of squadron would be unnecessary.

[Jay]

AMCA will definitely replace half the fleet of Su30s...
If at all they need a Heavier Replacement for Su30s, they might go for Su57 or ADA will have to start a new program after AMCA and call it HCA...

If AMCA replaces MKI then aren't we back where the backbone of the air force is a heavy fighter? Is there any other air force where a heavy fighter forms more than half of the fighting force? and we do not even leave our own airspace. As capable as MKI is compared to other fighters in IAF, it is such an overkill for day to day, run of the mill, grinding work that constitutes a bulk of activities for an air force, especially like ours which will operate within our borders or really close to it. I hope the bulk of MKI's work is taken over by Tejas as improved variants get inducted.

[Prem Kumar]

A weird statement IMVHO....

The Mk2 will be ahead of the Mk1A, in every respect.

VIDEO: https://x.com/ANI/status/1974037991187173848 ---> Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh says, "As far as LCA Mk2 is concerned, according to me, LCA Mk2 is sort of an extension of Mk1A. It is a bigger platform with almost, it's a similar class if I say generation-wise, but it will be able to carry more weapons. It will be able to perform better in terms of range and endurance. It will be able to carry bigger weapons. So that is why that falls very much in our scheme of things..."

Indeed, it reveals the IAF mindset. The way they perceive this aircraft. He is mentally mapping it to Gripen-E vs Gripen-NG (with a *sigh* - because they couldn't hook-up with this much desired aircraft)

Its almost like, we didn't want Tejas-Mk2, but its here - so lets make the best out of this

If the IAF had its way, the entire Tejas series wouldn't exist. If they had applied their minds & actually cared about strategy and MIC, they would have decided whether a follow-on to Mk1 needed to be a single or a twin engined aircraft (i.e. a medium or a heavy aircraft). All this talk about "mix" of heavy-medium-light is just bakwas. When the mood suits them or when they panic, they will load up on 270 Sukhois and 114 Rafales! Suddenly pilot shortage is not an issue, engine availability is not an issue etc

Heck, even AMCA is single-engined and is "Medium" class, like Tejas-Mk2. IMHO, it was a dumbass decision to design an AMCA - it should have been an F22/F-35/J-35 class heavy fighter/bomber because the internal bay nullifies the advantage of being a medium-class fighter. But when we realize that the IAF didn't want *any* domestic fighters, it becomes easy to understand why their planning is so crappy

I am glad all this is forced down their throat

[Avinandan]

Heck, even AMCA is single-engined and is "Medium" class, like Tejas-Mk2. IMHO, it was a dumbass decision to design an AMCA - it should have been an F22/F-35/J-35 class heavy fighter/bomber because the internal bay nullifies the advantage of being a medium-class fighter. But when we realize that the IAF didn't want *any* domestic fighters, it becomes easy to understand why their planning is so crappy

I am glad all this is forced down their throat

+1

But Prem Saar, you got a bit carried away.AMCA was always as a twin engined fighter plane.

[uddu]

Once AMCA MK1 is flying and its MK1A being worked on, a new larger sixth gen AMCA MK2 fighter that will replace the Su-30MKI can be thought of.

[LakshmanPST]

AMCA will definitely replace half the fleet of Su30s...
If at all they need a Heavier Replacement for Su30s, they might go for Su57 or ADA will have to start a new program after AMCA and call it HCA...

If AMCA replaces MKI then aren't we back where the backbone of the air force is a heavy fighter? Is there any other air force where a heavy fighter forms more than half of the fighting force? and we do not even leave our own airspace. As capable as MKI is compared to other fighters in IAF, it is such an overkill for day to day, run of the mill, grinding work that constitutes a bulk of activities for an air force, especially like ours which will operate within our borders or really close to it. I hope the bulk of MKI's work is taken over by Tejas as improved variants get inducted.

AMCA replacing Su30 is in terms of timelines...
IAF is planning only 7 squadrons of AMCA for now...

Only the first 3-4 squadrons of Su30 will retire in 2040s...
Remaining 9-10 squadrons of Su30s will be upgraded to Super Sukhoi standard and will be start retiring post 2050s only...

[Rakesh]

IAF Chief Wants LCA Tejas Mk1A Orders Moved to Mk2
https://bharatshakti.in/iaf-chief-wants ... ed-to-mk2/
04 Oct 2025

[Cybaru]

We want him retired!

He lacks vision…

[sanjayc]

^^ A bird in bush is always better than a bird in hand. They will keep pushing the can down the road but not actually place any orders. When the Chinese attack, show them the fantastic aircraft in development even if your hangars are empty. Maybe they will be scared reading the specifications of what is coming.

[uddu]

IAF Chief Wants LCA Tejas Mk1A Orders Moved to Mk2
https://bharatshakti.in/iaf-chief-wants ... ed-to-mk2/
04 Oct 2025

Went through the article once again. This is what the chief said.
“Mark 2 is a stepping stone in many ways,” he said. “I personally feel the 97 should shift to Mk-2. If we place the order quickly, concurrent production can start – this would make a huge difference to timelines and capability.”

So its a personal opinion. So it should be seen that way. May be our chief can personally feel about placing order for 97 more MK2 in the initial order itself and work towards ensuring that from IAF side the order for MK2 is placed quick just as the prototype flies successfully. And of course no more goal post shifting with more features and what not.

[Prem Kumar]

Heck, even AMCA is single-engined and is "Medium" class, like Tejas-Mk2. IMHO, it was a dumbass decision to design an AMCA - it should have been an F22/F-35/J-35 class heavy fighter/bomber because the internal bay nullifies the advantage of being a medium-class fighter. But when we realize that the IAF didn't want *any* domestic fighters, it becomes easy to understand why their planning is so crappy

I am glad all this is forced down their throat

+1

But Prem Saar, you got a bit carried away.AMCA was always as a twin engined fighter plane.

You are right - thanks for correcting

My point was about the weight-class and how stealth (internal bay) nullifies the advantage of moving up a weight class - and why they should have gone to a heavy fighter straightaway. Now, this "payload limitation" will justify buying more 4.5++ or 5-- imported fighters. And the tamasha will continue...

[Prem Kumar]

IAF Chief Wants LCA Tejas Mk1A Orders Moved to Mk2
https://bharatshakti.in/iaf-chief-wants ... ed-to-mk2/
04 Oct 2025

Surest way to spook the production agency! Which manufacturer or upstream supplier will sleep easy if a confirmed order can be changed midway?

But the IAF Chief will never talk about replacing the 114 Rafale order with 228 Tejas-Mk2 order. That will give the IAF a LOT more capability both in terms of squadrons & in payload/capability. Plus 228 Tejas-Mk2 will cost far less than 114 Rafales in both unit cost & lifetime costs

They will continue bitching about squadron shortage

[Khalsa]

Over 300 Aircraft at the mercy of United States of America for the engines ?
No thank you

Happy ... very happy with the 114 Rafales

[uddu]

Over 300 Aircraft at the mercy of United States of America for the engines ?
No thank you

Happy ... very happy with the 114 Rafales

There is no Guarantee that French will not become part of Some European Sanction on India if they choose to surrender to Americans. The one and only option is Kaveri and Indigenous engines. So if we have our own engines, 300 or 500 aircrafts flying with American engines will keep flying since every other component of Tejas is Made in India. A component of Rafale sanctioned, could spell disaster for the whole fleet.