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Tanaji wrote: ↑04 Feb 2026 21:04
The HAL chairman is disingenuous in polite parlance and shameless in colloquial parlance. If SQRs are not met, then by definition the aircraft is not ready. HAL didn’t wake up one fine day after completing everything to find these SQRs….
HAL has no excuse to hide behind for this - lots of orders, engines available for these 5, stable SQRs and ready customer. They have everything but the ability to do work.
Order book is not full used to be the story, it is overflowing and no meaningfull progress. Wonder what meaningful / critical work they do in the office 9 to 5 every day.
Tanaji wrote: ↑04 Feb 2026 21:04Time for this chairman to retire and a new one to come in to make new deadlines and announce new projects like DOG, FAST, DOLPHIN, etc so that the cycle repeats again.
Have public hearings (Alien process for Indians) fire the whole senior team for dereliction of duties and file criminal charges against the team;
(Stalin used send such folks to Siberia, maybe India can send them to Siachen as porters)
as for the replacement crew make sure they are in the age bracket of 40 to 50.
HAL went with the Israeli AESA thinking it is the safest route. Still there is time for them to start integrating UTTAM and start delivering the planes. Bold decisions need to be taken by HAL leadership. Instead they are pursuing the perceived safest of routes and ending up in trouble.
The Indian Air Force will review the LCA Mark 1A combat aircraft project in May this year before deciding on the acceptance of delivery of these planes, of which 180 have been ordered by the force. The project was discussed in detail in December last year. Since most aircraft projects are expected to be completed in April 2026, the Indian Air Force will review the project in detail again in May. The delivery timeline would be decided only after that, defence sources told ANI.
However, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited officials said the organisation is ready with 5 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets, with major components such as radar, electronic warfare suites, and weapons already integrated, and the aircraft can be accepted.
The HAL has 15 aircraft in ready configuration and is likely to have around 20 of them ready by the end of the year.
This to me is blatant hypocrisy. If other platforms can be accepted with less than full capabilities and certifications than why not the Mk1a? Why step motherly treament for our own product? If anything it should be the other way around. Sorry for the rant. The fact that Iam a shareholder may have something to do with my present frustrations
Bharadwaj wrote: ↑05 Feb 2026 12:01
This to me is blatant hypocrisy. If other platforms can be accepted with less than full capabilities and certifications than why not the Mk1a? Why step motherly treament for our own product? If anything it should be the other way around. Sorry for the rant. The fact that Iam a shareholder may have something to do with my present frustrations
IAF must show urgency. If MK1A is ready, it should be taken into IAF inventory. What's the point in keeping it parked at HAL? IAF must clarify if things are not yet done as per the contractual obligations and issue statement that certain conditions in contractual obligations are met etc, rather than say we will validate in May and then decide.
Last edited by Rakesh on 05 Feb 2026 19:48, edited 1 time in total.
Let's be clear about one thing- IAF is within it's rights to NOT ACCEPT fighter jets that do not meet the contractual obligations of all systems that were to be delivered and operational. Question really is whether every system that was supposed to be integrated and certified, is indeed so or not. If not, that is clearly on HAL to complete before asking for the IAF to take it's delivery.
Even for civilian airliners, Airlines do not accept with any pending things. They test fly, they check that all the systems they've asked for are available and certified (if they need certification) and then they take delivery and make the payment.
This myth that many in BRF perpetrate is that IAF has accepted imported fighters that did not have all their systems integrated is dangerous. It is false and creates this image of the IAF being the import friendly villain. Whatever was contracted for, was delivered. It wasn't like some systems were not yet functional and would be made functional or certified later, after delivery to the IAF.
Jaguar is given as an example whereas in reality acceptance of NAVWASS Jaguars is thanks to the famed red tapism of Indian procurement. The time between offering of the Jag to IAF, choice of the Jag by the IAF and then the eventual contract being signed, was nearly a decade. Even then, every single NAVWASS Jag was delivered with the systems it was supposed to have. It's a different issue that the IAF already knew the shortcomings of NAVWASS and initiated DARIN soon after inducting Jags.
In the 1980s, MiG-23MFs were inducted with Russian systems that were not needed by the IAF and weren't used in service here. MiG-29s were inducted with very little training literature or manuals because it the MiG-29 was very immature and the Russians themselves hadn't done any major work in creating manuals and tactics for foreign operators to use.
But these examples are not relevant in this case where it is for HAL to meet it's contractual obligations and then seek payment for deliveries.
^^^^ Many airliners are accepted with the assurance that pending issues will be adressed within a timeframe after delivery. The same has happened with fighters too. IAF can take these five aircraft under guarantees that the rest will be delivered with the certifications in place. Nobody ( at least me) is calling IAF an import friendly villan.
No fighter is perfect but somehow any IAF complaint on HAL is amplified, while JF 17 which cannot complete a vertical loop is praised, We do not have a Fighter Aircraft manufacturing system, and any number of Foreign establishments will like to shutdown any Indigenous capability. But till we start making things in India with Indian design, its always easy to keep India contained with Pakistan. Looks like everything is being done to stop our local manufacturing. I am sure many aircraft around the world have teething issues, but unless we get around it and work it out. This blame game will not help us. Great is the enemy of the good hear. Induct it and I am sure as the numbers of Aircraft start getting inducted some solutions will happen.
Clearly vested interests are in play hear, hope the powers that be get involved here and see that these issues get sorted out.
The air force should certainly not accept (i.e. pay the manufacturer for) aircraft that are not battle worthy. If the radar and the electronic warfare system is glitchy, the enemy will make no concessions. Will the manufacturing company’s management fall on their swords (literally, not metaphorically) if pilots lose their lives in their glitchy product? Pilots are expendable, but the manufacturer’s profits are sacred? Vested interests indeed.
Bharadwaj wrote: ↑05 Feb 2026 13:23
^^^^ Many airliners are accepted with the assurance that pending issues will be adressed within a timeframe after delivery.
These pending issues relate to the safety of the aircraft?
A glitchy radar and electronic warfare system could be a death sentence for a fighter pilot.
Having fired an air-to-air missile over the longest range ever, the collective Indian team is exuberant about the prospect of operationalising our frontline fighter squadron with India's very own 4.5-Gen Tejas Mk1A, in the nearest future.
Close mentoring by the operational crew, alongside relentless efforts from the design and manufacturing crew, has enabled Mk1A to approach its full combat potential. As more and more single+twin crew aircraft are getting built, expeditious accomplishment of regulatory clearances
is also nearing, especially thanks to the perfect performance by our very own, Indian mission systems and combat equipment. A pan-India endeavour, Tejas Mk1A is truly the pinnacle of engineering in our country
As induction nears, the final ironing out of nitty-gritties in the few imported LRUs is underway. These would eventually get replaced by worthy Indian systems in subsequent tranches. As a combat pilot, I look forward to full operations on India's Tejas Mk1A.
^^^^
Prem Ji where does it specificaly say that the elta 2052 is the cause of the delay? There are many LRUs that are imported and HVT only says things are being ironed out. The Uttam afaik is not certified yet but will be so in time for the next lot. I would have preferred we went with the Thales offer as it would have meant commonality with the Rafale and the ability to fire the metor with the first batch itself. Dare I say Thales being the more experienced outfit might have also made things easier than elta.
https://x.com/HALHQBLR/status/2019281454212214945?s=20 ---> HAL wishes to clarify the status of LCA MK1A deliveries to the customer for all stakeholders. HAL confirms that five aircraft are fully ready for delivery, incorporating major contracted capabilities in accordance with the agreed specifications.
- GE Aviation to open F404 engine MRO facility in India
- India has ordered 212 (99+113) F404-GE-IN20 engines
- Total number of engines eventually might touch around 300
“The weapons firing trials for the indigenous Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, the British ASRAAM missile for close-range combat, and laser-guided bombs for ground attack have been completed. The pending software patches have also been completed. Both are now pending certification,” the source said on the condition of anonymity.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is yet to deliver two of the remaining order of 8 Tejas trainer aircraft as well, an order that was placed in 2010.
The pending work, sources added, can be divided into three categories—minor, major, and not acceptable. They also said that there are integration issues that are still not resolved with regard to some systems including the radar.
The defence ministry should be locking the two parties into a conference room and open once they have a solution
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is yet to deliver two of the remaining order of 8 Tejas trainer aircraft as well, an order that was placed in 2010.
This is supposed to be the MK1A variant right https://x.com/hvtiaf_bharat/status/2019350390819746018
Close mentoring by the operational crew, alongside relentless efforts from the design and manufacturing crew, has enabled Mk1A to approach its full combat potential. As more and more single+twin crew aircraft are getting built, expeditious accomplishment of regulatory clearances
Tis silly to have these standoffs in media which has different stakeholders beholden to them. The way forward is for the mantriji Rajnath Singh to solve such fisticuffs and smooth things, that is his job. HAL and IAF get into such postures and none of them are any better off considering one is the producer and the other the consumer. I don't understand why such things are blown out of proportion. If they are issues then Rajnath Singh has to correct them and move on.
Having fired an air-to-air missile over the longest range ever, the collective Indian team is exuberant about the prospect of operationalising our frontline fighter squadron with India's very own 4.5-Gen Tejas Mk1A, in the nearest future.
a) Tejas - 14 built out, with 5 having engines. GE will deliver 24 engines for this year. HAL will also deliver aircrafts. 2 lines in Bluru, 1 line in Nashik and the 4th is from private partners who build out sub-assemblies. DK Sunil seems confident that GE will meet schedule of 24 engines after visiting USA / GE.
b) AMCA - have nothing in writing. The contract is about 5 prototypes. Bidders are being selected to help build the 5 prototypes. However when it comes to production HAL will gain be in the picture. AMCA will take 10 yrs to come to fruition. The HAL order book is for the current orders which will take some time to fulfill.
c) Su-30MKI upgrade program. Wanting financial details and CCS approval, hopefully will come in 2-3 months.
HAL has transformed from TOT company to IDDM company - with Prachand, Sitara/Yashas, Dhruv helos. The competition is only Videshi company like Dassault, Lockheed, Boeing, etc. Private players being inducted will strengthen the Indian supplier systems, with L&T being Tier 1 supplier already for Tejas.
Is AMCA Really a Setback for HAL? CMD DK Sunil Clears the Air
Amid headlines suggesting HAL may be “out” of the AMCA prototype consortium, HAL CMD DK Sunil clarifies why this does not impact HAL’s revenues, order book, or long‑term positioning.
Rakesh wrote: ↑05 Feb 2026 19:59
From HAL's official twitter account...
https://x.com/HALHQBLR/status/2019281454212214945?s=20 ---> HAL wishes to clarify the status of LCA MK1A deliveries to the customer for all stakeholders. HAL confirms that five aircraft are fully ready for delivery, incorporating major contracted capabilities in accordance with the agreed specifications.
Did anyone else read it correctly? HAL is saying they are Incorporating MAJOR contracted capabilities. That means are they saying they haven’t incorporated ALL contracted capabilities?
Indranil has made it clear on twitter that the twin asraam from a single pylon remains the only real issue. This is something that IMO will need much more r and d time. IAF can accept as is once they get the certifications since the mk1a represents perhaps the best a2a package they will have. Dual launcher is an aerodynamic behavior challenge.
Prem Kumar wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 09:56
HAL's statements are weasel-worded
1) *Major* changes done
2) Design suggestions are being incorporated
3) But they are ready for induction
I have no love lost for them, because repeated CMDs have turned out to be liars & hiding their organization's sloth/chalta-hai behavior
That being said, IAF is also not helping by demanding nothing but the best from homegrown systems, while being slack with imports
I do not think IAF is being unreasonable. The issue is trust. IAF no longer trusts HAL to solve integration problems on a timely manner once the platform is inducted. That is the core issue. They do not want to deal with HAL once the platform is inducted until it goes for the first engine refit. And maybe even not then.
HAL could have flown the AESA radar for Mk1A on an old Tejas prototype and avoided all the integraton delays.
