IAF to get 6 LCA Tejas by March 26; other countries are showing interest in the fighter jet: HAL MD

The Indian Air Force will get at least six Tejas Light Combat Aircraft by March 2026, said Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Chairman and MD D.K. Sunil said even as he claimed that the delay in the delivery was caused by GE Aerospace missing deadline for supply of its engines. HAL is manufacturing the cutting-edge fighter jets.

 

In an interview to PTI, the HAL chief said GE Aerospace is expected to supply 12 engines in the current fiscal and this will expedite the 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."

 

GE was unable to deliver the engines in time because of  production timelines falling behind during the Covid pandemic, and the subsequent departure of many senior engineers from the company.

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Sunil said 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)."

 

HAL plans to produce 16 jets in the coming year if the supply of engines by GE Aerospace continue to be on time.

 

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.

 

Sunil claimed that 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." 

 

The HAL MD said a number of countries have shown interest in Tejas and the company is holding talks with some of these. 

Defence