India has recently announced the addition of a large number of its home-made Tejas aircraft to its fleet. The Tejas is India's first fully-built single-engine fighter, with more than 50 per cent of its fittings manufactured in India. It is hoped that the aircraft will be delivered to the Indian Air Force in 2024.
According to experts, a locally made radar has been installed in the aircraft. This aircraft is light in weight and has good engine power. Also, it is a multi-purpose fighter aircraft that can carry a weight of eight to nine tons. In addition, at an altitude of 52,000 feet, the plane travels 1.6 to 1.8 times faster than the speed of sound.
India's defense ministry says a total of 83 light fighter jets have been ordered and the entire consignment is worth Rs 45,696 crore.
The manufacturing company, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Indian Air Force will sign an agreement in March to manufacture the new four- and half-generation light combat aircraft, the Light Combat Aircraft.
Experts say that three years ago, the Air Force ordered HAL to build several Tejas aircraft to be added to the Air Force's fleet.
According to defense expert Ajay Shukla, it has taken the Defense Ministry more than three years to reach an agreement with HAL to prepare it.
According to him, the ministry has given approval to HEL to manufacture these aircraft in the month of December 2017. In all, the deal includes 83 aircraft.
HAL submitted its tender to the government in the month of March 2018. According to Ajay Shukla, the government and HAL have been discussing technology and pricing for the past two years.
Ajay Shukla says it is India's first home-made fighter jet, with more than 50 per cent of its parts manufactured in India. He said that by the time the entire shipment is ready, the rate of domestic parts in this aircraft will reach 60 percent.
India's defense ministry says a total of 83 light fighter jets have been ordered, including 73 Tejas Mark-1A and 10 Tejas Mark 1A (trainer) or training aircraft. The ministry said the entire consignment was worth Rs 45,696 crore.
According to Shukla, the Tejas Mark 1A fighter costs Rs 550 crore, which is Rs 120 crore more than the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter. HAL also manufactures Sukhoi aircraft.
Retired Indian Air Force Wing Commander Katie Sebastian has also been a Test pilot and group captain. He told the BBC that the Indian government had taken a long time to buy the Tejas Mark 1 One, which the Air Force had needed for years.
He says the Tejas Mark 1A Sukhoi is more expensive than the 30MKI fighter jet because it incorporates many advanced devices, such as radar made in Israel.
The aircraft is equipped with locally developed radar. This aircraft is light and has good engine power. It's a multi-purpose fighter. "
Colonel Sanjay Srivastava, who has retired from the Gorkha Regiment, says the MiG-21 fighter jets are yet to be removed from the Air Force fleet. These are forty-year-old airplanes.
Retired Colonel Sanjay Srivastava says the Tejas fighter jets are lighter than the Sukhoi and can carry eight to nine tonnes. In addition, at an altitude of 52,000 feet, these planes travel 1.6 to 1.8 times faster than the speed of sound.
The new technology used in the Tejas is 'Active Electronic Scanned Radar', meaning electronically scanned radar, biovol range (BVR) missiles, electronic warfare suits and air-to-air refueling that enhance its capabilities during critical operations does.
This aircraft can hit enemy aircraft from a distance and has the ability to deceive enemy radar. This aircraft can fly as many weapons and missiles as the Sukhoi aircraft with a heavier weight.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has said that HAL has already made additional arrangements for the manufacture of fighter jets in Nashik and Bangalore so that the aircraft can be delivered to the Air Force within the stipulated time.
Expressing his views in an interview with a magazine, retired Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur said that it was now up to HAL and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) not to repeat the old mistakes and ensure timely delivery of these aircraft. Make the supply possible.
He said the announcement should be welcomed at a time when the Indian Air Force is short of fighter jets. He also said that since domestic companies would make parts for the aircraft, it would create a lot of jobs.
According to Manmohan Bahadur, the Tejas project was founded in 1983 at a cost of only Rs 560 crore. Over the next two decades, the cost has skyrocketed.
He says the Tejas model was first flown in January 2001. But all the aircraft could be added to the Indian Air Force fleet in 2016 after completing the formalities. However, its final formalities were completed last year.
According to Manmohan Bahadur, it is expected that this time the consignment of Tejas fighter jets will be handed over to the Air Force on time.
