Page 21 - ADT MARCH / APRIL 2020 Digital Magazine | GBP

Upward Long Awaited Contract [ AIR SYSTEMS ]

The contract for 83 Tejas Mk 1As (73 single seaters and 10
twin-seaters) which is expected to be worth in excess of USD5
billion will be India’s largest order for an indigenously developed
aircraft type. By the time a formal contract is signed with HAL in
Curve 2020/2021, it will have been three years since Air HQ first issued a
Request for Proposal (RFP) to HAL for manufacture and supply of
83 LCA Mk 1A in December, 2017. HAL responded with its Technical
& Commercial proposal in March, 2018.

INDIA’S TEJAS MK 1A NEARS
PRODUCTION CONTRACT

Atul Chandra

India’s long-drawn and ambitious Tejas light
fighter developmental effort is nearing a
large production contract for 83 of the more
advanced Mk1A version. In March, the Indian
Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) paved
the way for procurement of the latest Tejas
variant from state owned airframer Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) by finalising various
pending contractual and other related issues.
Tejas Mk 1As will carry new Air-to-Air Missiles (AAMs) including
A formal contract with HAL is expected to inked MBDA’s ASRAAM, an Israeli Elta 2052 Active Electronically Scanned
later this year after final approval by the apex Array (AESA) radar along with a new Unified Electronic Warfare
Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). Delivery suite. The ASRAAM emerged as the winner of the air force’s ‘New
of LCA Mk 1A aircraft would commence three Generation Close Combat Missile’ (NGCCM) programme and was
years from the date of signing of contract. The first selected for fitment on the overwing pylons on upgraded air
first Tejas Mk 1A prototype is slated to make its force Jaguar DARIN ground attack fighters. In June 2019 MBDA
maiden flight in 2021. inked an agreement with state owned firm Bharat Dynamics Limited

ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY March/April 2020 | 21