NEW DELHI: Grappling with simply 30 fighter squadrons when it’s authorised 42 to face the risk from China and Pakistan, the IAF will to attend additional for the deliveries of the indigenous Tejas Mark-1A jets to start.
The primary of the 83 “improved” Tejas jets was to be delivered to IAF by March 31 this 12 months, however will solely be prepared by September now, sources mentioned on Wednesday.
“Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) at finest will be capable of ship solely half of the 16 jets it was imagined to ship within the 2024-25 as per the contract,” a supply mentioned.
TOI had earlier reported that there had been a significant delay within the supply timeframe of the 83 Tejas Mark-1A jets contracted from HAL beneath the Rs 46,898 crore contract in Feb 2021. Below it, all of the 83 fighters are to be delivered by Feb 2028.
Whereas there was a delay in supply of F-404 engines by US agency Common Electrical to energy the Tejas, sources mentioned there have been sure developmental points by the HAL as effectively.
This comes at a time when one other Rs 67,000 crore contract for 97 extra Tejas Mark-1A fighters can be being finalized. The Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisitions Council in Nov final 12 months had given the preliminary nod or acceptance of necessity (AoN) for the acquisition of those 97 jets.
Below the first-ever Rs 8,802 crore contract for 40 Tejas Mark-1 jets, HAL was supposed to complete the supply by Dec 2016. Nevertheless it has delivered solely 35 of the 40 jets to date, with 5 trainers but to be delivered.
HAL might want to majorly crank up its annual manufacturing price to ship all of the 180 Tejas Mark-1A jets, that are powered by GE-F404 engines, in time.
The cupboard committee on safety in August 2022 had additionally cleared the over Rs 9,000 crore growth of the Tejas Mark-2 fighters, with the extra highly effective GE-F414 engines. IAF plans to induct six squadrons (108 jets) of Tejas Mark-2, which can have an extended fight vary and higher weapon-carrying capability than the Mark-1A variant.
The primary of the 83 “improved” Tejas jets was to be delivered to IAF by March 31 this 12 months, however will solely be prepared by September now, sources mentioned on Wednesday.
“Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) at finest will be capable of ship solely half of the 16 jets it was imagined to ship within the 2024-25 as per the contract,” a supply mentioned.
TOI had earlier reported that there had been a significant delay within the supply timeframe of the 83 Tejas Mark-1A jets contracted from HAL beneath the Rs 46,898 crore contract in Feb 2021. Below it, all of the 83 fighters are to be delivered by Feb 2028.
Whereas there was a delay in supply of F-404 engines by US agency Common Electrical to energy the Tejas, sources mentioned there have been sure developmental points by the HAL as effectively.
This comes at a time when one other Rs 67,000 crore contract for 97 extra Tejas Mark-1A fighters can be being finalized. The Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisitions Council in Nov final 12 months had given the preliminary nod or acceptance of necessity (AoN) for the acquisition of those 97 jets.
Below the first-ever Rs 8,802 crore contract for 40 Tejas Mark-1 jets, HAL was supposed to complete the supply by Dec 2016. Nevertheless it has delivered solely 35 of the 40 jets to date, with 5 trainers but to be delivered.
HAL might want to majorly crank up its annual manufacturing price to ship all of the 180 Tejas Mark-1A jets, that are powered by GE-F404 engines, in time.
The cupboard committee on safety in August 2022 had additionally cleared the over Rs 9,000 crore growth of the Tejas Mark-2 fighters, with the extra highly effective GE-F414 engines. IAF plans to induct six squadrons (108 jets) of Tejas Mark-2, which can have an extended fight vary and higher weapon-carrying capability than the Mark-1A variant.
