New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will finally receive its first two Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets next month, nearly two years behind schedule.
Officials from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) confirmed that 10 jets have already been manufactured, including one from the Nashik production line ready for handover.
Sources in the defence and security establishment said that the aircraft that are scheduled to be delivered will undergo firing trials of two missiles and a laser-guided bomb this month, ahead of their formal induction.
This comes at a time when the IAF, with only 31 active squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42.5, is preparing to retire its last two operational MiG-21 fighter squadrons in Chandigarh at the end of this month.
This will mark the end of the aircraft’s 62-year service, and reduce the force’s squadron strength to a low of 29.
The Mk-1A variant represents a significant upgrade over the earlier Mk-1, designed as a true multi-role platform capable of air defence, strike and maritime missions.
It incorporates a digitally re-engineered cockpit with wide-area displays, a reshaped floor for improved pilot ergonomics, and an advanced quadruplex fly-by-wire flight control system.
From conception to combat
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme was officially launched in 1983 to replace the IAF’s ageing fleet of MiG‑21s. While the original schedule had aimed for a first flight by 1994, delays meant the prototype only took to the skies in 2001—nearly two decades after the project began.
The first technology demonstrator flew on 4 January, 2001, but the project further faced years of delays before maturing into production. India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme was christened ‘Tejas’ by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003.
In March 2006, the IAF placed its first order for 16 single-seat Tejas fighters and four trainer variants, even as the aircraft was still undergoing trials.
The first milestone came later with the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in January 2011, followed by an expanded IOC-II in December 2013.
This standard gave the IAF a fighter it could induct, but with clear limitations as its manoeuvring range was restricted, aerial refuelling was unavailable and the weapons package remained basic.
The IOC-version could employ R-73 close-combat missiles for air-to-air roles, fire unguided rockets and bombs and, by IOC-II, carry limited laser-guided bombs.
The actual leap in capability came with the Final Operational Clearance (FOC), whose documentation was completed in December 2018 and finally handed over at Aero India in February 2019 after a seven-year delay.
The FOC variant marked the first truly combat-ready Tejas. Its flight envelope was expanded for carefree manoeuvring, its internal GSh-23 twin-barrel gun was certified for use, and it gained a removable probe for aerial refuelling.
Most significantly, it was cleared to fire Derby beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, giving it long-range engagement capability, alongside the R-73 close-combat missiles.
In the strike role, it was further qualified to carry a wider range of laser-guided bombs, precision-guided munitions, rockets and conventional bombs.
In March, Tejas Mk-1 also successfully test-fired India’s indigenously developed beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), the Astra Mk-I. To field this standard, the IAF placed a second order for 20 more Mk-1s in December 2010, bringing the total Mk-1 order to 40 aircraft.
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Initial order yet to be fulfilled
However, the IAF has only got 38 aircraft till now. Of the total 40 Tejas Mk-1 aircraft ordered—comprising 16 IOC single-seaters, 16 FOC single-seaters and 8 twin-seat trainers—the IAF has received all 32 single-seat fighters.
“Of the trainers, six have been delivered so far, including four in the IOC standard and two in the FOC standard. The remaining two FOC trainers are slated for handover which will complete delivery of all 40 aircraft,” a source said.
Currently, the Tejas has two operational squadrons, No. 45 Squadron “Flying Daggers” and No. 18 Squadron “Flying Bullets”, with each squadron holding a nominal strength of about 18 fighters.
No. 45 Squadron continues to operate from Sulur in Tamil Nadu, while No. 18 Squadron was relocated to Naliya in Gujarat last year.
“The squadron at Sulur was the first to fly the Tejas and handles everything from air superiority and combat patrols to precision strikes and training new pilots,” explained a source. “Whereas, the squadron at Naliya, flies the FOC-standard Tejas and focuses more on rapid-response air defence along the western border with Pakistan.”
However, the IAF’s operational fleet of Tejas Mk-1 aircraft now stands at 37, following the first loss of a series-production jet in March last year, when a Tejas Mk-1 crashed near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, shortly after participating in the tri-services exercise Bharat Shakti.
Sources further said that all IAF fighters, including Tejas, were operationally deployed during Operation Sindoor, and the fighter flew several Combat Air Patrol (CAP) and Close Air Support (CAS) sorties.
Improvements over Mk-1
The upgraded Tejas Mk-1A, slated to join service next month, will be inducted into No. 3 Squadron “Cobras” and No. 23 Squadron “Panthers”, which currently operate MiG-21s out of Nal Air Force Station in Rajasthan.
The Mk-1A brings a host of improvements beyond the baseline Mk-1 with a new digital radar warning receiver and self-protection jammers enhancing survivability. It is also equipped for air-to-air refuelling, and features modular maintainability improvements through incorporation of Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Electronic Warfare (EW) suite and Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile capabilities.
According to the Rs 48,000-crore contract signed on 1 February, 2021 for 73 Tejas Mk-1A fighters and 10 trainers, the first aircraft was scheduled to be delivered within three years. However, the rollout slipped, with the maiden jet now set to be handed over.
The delay stemmed largely from supply constraints of the imported GE-404 engines, which held up production timelines.
In November 2023, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared procurement of an additional 97 Mk-1A jets at a cost of Rs 66,500 crore, with the final contract clearance issued in August this year.
When this batch is delivered, the IAF’s Tejas fleet will exceed approximately 180 aircraft, forming the backbone of its light fighter force for the next two decades.
Beyond the Mk-1A lies the Tejas Mk-2, which will be a Medium Weight Fighter (MWF). Unlike the Mk-1A, this variant is said to be a substantially redesigned aircraft, larger at 14.6 metres, heavier with a maximum take-off weight of 17.5 tonnes and powered by the more powerful GE F414 engine producing 98 kN (kilonewtons) thrust.
The fighter is expected to be able to carry 6.5 tonnes of weapons, almost double that of the Mk-1, and will feature the Uttam Mk-2 AESA radar, an Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST) sensor, wide-area cockpit displays and next-generation electronic warfare systems.
Four Mk-2 prototypes are currently under assembly with the first flight targeted for 2027 and a three-year test campaign planned thereafter, sources said.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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