Source : CNBC TV18
IAF to order around 100 more LCA Tejas Mk1A fighter jets for over $8 billion: Report
The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to place orders for around 100 more LCA Mark 1A fighter jets, news agency ANI reported on Thursday. The IAF plans to buy these Made-in-India aircraft to replace the MiG-21 fighter jets in its fleet, the report said.
According to ANI, the IAF has already submitted its plan to the Minustry of Defence and all other stakeholders in the national security establishment.
“The Indian Air Force has decided that it would buy around 100 more of these highly capable LCA Mark-1A fighter jets from the HAL. The proposal in this regard has been submitted to the Defence Ministry. The project is expected to receive clearance soon to give the biggest ever boost to the private defence aerospace sector,” defence officials told ANI.
The decision to buy around 100 more of these planes came as Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari held a review meeting of the indigenous fighter jet programme with all entities involved including the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
What does more LCA Mark-1A fighter jets mean?
The order would mean that the LCA Tejas fighters would renter the Indian Air Force in very large numbers. The IAF will have 40 LCA, over 180 LCA Mark-1A and at least 120 LCA Mark-2 planes in the next 15 years, ANI reported. The last order for LCA Mark1A was for 83 aircraft and the first plane would be delivered around February 2024.
What are LCA Mark 1A fighter jet?
LCA Mark 1A is the advanced version of Tejas aircraft. The LCA Mark 1A plane has more advanced avionics and radars than the initial 40 LCAs being supplied to the Air Force. The indigenous content in the new LCA Mark 1As is going to be more than 65 percent.
As per the report, the Indian Air Force chief stated in the project review meeting that the LCA has been the flag-bearer of the force’s efforts towards the indigenisation of its aircraft fleet.
During the review, it was brought out that all contracted fighter variants of the LCA MK 1 had been delivered to the IAF.
Representatives of HAL had assured the chief of the timely delivery of the contracted twin-seaters in the coming months, as well. Further to the LCA Mk 1, 83 LCA Mk-1A aircraft have also been contracted by the IAF in 2021.
The Chairman and Managing Director of HAL had assured those present that the deliveries of this advanced variant of the LCA would commence by February 2024.
