The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has released a highly detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
This document sets a strict, time-bound roadmap for developing five flying prototypes of India's first indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter.
Backed by a project budget of approximately ₹15,000 crore, the timeline assumes a final contract will be signed with the winning bidder in December 2026.
The selected private industry partner will work alongside the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to execute the project.
A Phased Approach to Flight Testing
According to the RFP, all five prototypes must be actively flying by the 64th month following the contract signing.The schedule requires a rigorous flight-testing campaign comprising exactly 1,800 sorties over a seven-year (84-month) period.
Testing will scale up gradually, with cumulative targets set at 300 sorties by Month 64, 600 by Month 68, 900 by Month 72, 1,200 by Month 76, and 1,500 by Month 80. The full 1,800-sortie benchmark must be achieved by Month 84.
The government has made it clear that the aircraft will only transition into series production after this exhaustive testing phase is successfully concluded.
Strict Milestones and Accountability
To prevent the extensive delays that have historically plagued domestic defence projects, the MoD has established 14 mandatory and indicative milestones.n a major shift for Indian aerospace, the government has excluded state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from this initial prototype phase to foster private-sector capability.
The shortlisted private competitors — Tata Advanced Systems, the Larsen & Toubro-Bharat Electronics Limited (L&T-BEL) consortium, and the Bharat Forge-BEML combine — will face strict penalties if they fail to meet these deadlines.
Furthermore, the winning bidder will be required to establish a dedicated company exclusively for this project and will utilise the upcoming ₹2,000 crore flight testing facility currently being built in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh.
Targeting Mid-2030s Induction
This ambitious development roadmap aims to see the first flight of the AMCA Mk1 by mid-2029, assuming the contract is finalised by the end of 2026.If the private partner adheres to the schedule, the entire developmental testing phase will wrap up between late 2033 and early 2034.
This timeline paves the way for large-scale manufacturing to commence, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) expected to induct its first AMCA squadrons from 2035 onward.
This induction is viewed as a critical step to arrest the IAF's declining squadron numbers and counter the rapid deployment of advanced fifth-generation fighters in the region, such as China's J-20.
The Prototype Rollout Schedule
The RFP outlines specific completion dates for each of the five planned test aircraft to ensure a steady progression in the development cycle:- Prototype 1 (P1): Structural modules must be finished by Month 24, with taxi trials and the maiden flight expected around Month 30 (projected for June 2029).
- Prototype 2 (P2): First flight scheduled for Month 37 (January 2030).
- Prototype 3 (P3): First flight scheduled for Month 46 (October 2030).
- Prototype 4 (P4): First flight scheduled for Month 52 (April 2031).
- Prototype 5 (P5): First flight scheduled for Month 64 (April 2032).
Early Foundation Goals
Before the first aircraft can take to the skies, the selected contractor must meet several critical ground-based development goals.A Detailed Project Report is due within the first three months. By Month 9, all necessary manufacturing tooling, jigs, and fixtures must be complete.
The 18th month requires the readiness of the Iron Bird (iFAST) and half-wing structures.
Finally, by Month 24, various essential test rigs — covering fuel systems, environmental controls, telemetry, and electromagnetic compatibility — must be fully operational.
Validating Fifth-Generation Capabilities
The exhaustive 1,800-sortie flight campaign is designed to rigorously prove the aircraft's advanced capabilities before mass production begins.Test pilots will validate the AMCA's radar-evading stealth properties, supercruise ability, artificial intelligence-backed sensor fusion, and the reliability of its internal weapons bay.
With this detailed RFP, the MoD is making a decisive push to position the private sector at the forefront of India's most advanced aerospace defence initiative.
