India’s next fighter jet will be available for production in half the time of Existing One!

The next fighter jet of India is on the design table in the final freezing state. Yes! Tejas Mk2 will have half the development time then Tejas Mk1. From the first flight in 2001 till the formation of the first squadron in 2016, LCA-Tejas Mk1 Program remain in slow pace of development and 15 years from first flight to the first squadron due to long developmental and testing cycle for higher safety issue and lack of experience.

India's next fighter jet TEJAS MK-II may complete design phase by end of 2021 

Prototype Development Phase

Tejas Mk2 program will skip Technology Demonstrator (TD) and Prototype vehicles (PV) stages and HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) to roll out start first Tejas Mk2 LSP aircraft in 12 month after final design freeze by 2021 and the first aircraft with Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) standard configuration slated to have its first flight by 2022 or 2023.

The adoption of computer simulations in a big way not only has helped ADA to perfect the design of the aircraft but it will also cut down on the required time to test basic flight characteristics of the aircraft.

HAL plans to outsource sub-assemblies of the aircraft like fuselage from Tier-2/3 suppliers. A fully equipped section of aircraft fuselage means that production line can hit 24 aircraft per annum mark from the first year itself instead of gradual increase in production rate as seen in Tejas Mk1 program.

ADA (Aeronautics Development Agency) and HAL plan to field 3 IOC Standard and 2 Full Operational Clearance (FOC) standard aircraft before the production by 2028-29.

Squadron Readiness

All LSPs will have all structures and panels of the aircraft and that will be interchangeable to Phase-out quality or spare issues, when aircraft enters production. Interchangeable panels and spares is must for the operational squadrons to ensure aircraft availability by 75% and above to meet IAF’s operational availability also to reduce downtime of the grounded aircraft.

The majority of the design work of the Tejas Mk2 has frozen and minor changes expected before the final freeze by end of this year. Tender documents issued to private sector companies by HAL show the final design of the wings for the Tejas Mk2 program. HAL to order cockpit simulators to train pilots shows that many of the groundwork has commenced before aircraft goes into assembling mode.

India will develop 5 Prototype before entering into Production of TEJAS MK-II  (Pic Source: Unknown)

Features of TEJAS MK-II

Many of the major components like Digital Flight Control Computer (DFCC), Avionics, Navigation equipment, EW and Onboard Oxygen generator are already developed, but concern remains on availability of UTTAM AESA fire Control Radar which is still going through fine-tuning and testings and many of modes out of total 18 modes yet to be realized.

Around 8 F-414INS6 engine ordered to General Electric (GE) have already arrived in India and Tejas Mk2 will accommodate the F-414INS6 engines without any problems or extensive redesign to the enlarged air intakes, and that it will perform to its designed potential as validated by computer simulations. GE team will be in India to monitor the integration work of engine with the first Tejas Mk2 till the Ground Engine Run before it is cleared for its first flight.