Continued Tejas Delays Threaten HAL's Monopoly in Fighter Jet Manufacturing as Private Sector Participation Gains Momentum

A retired Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, Air Marshal Rakesh Vaidya, has voiced concerns over Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) ability to meet production targets and delivery commitments for critical aircraft programs.

He warns that continued delays, particularly in the Tejas light combat aircraft program, could jeopardize HAL's position as India's primary aircraft manufacturer and open the door for greater private sector involvement in fighter jet production.

Vaidya's critique comes at a crucial time for HAL, which is facing scrutiny over its delivery schedules for projects like the Tejas Mk1A. With the IAF planning to procure 97 more of these advanced light combat aircraft, HAL is under pressure to ramp up production and ensure timely delivery.

Vaidya cautions that any failure to do so could erode confidence in HAL's capabilities, potentially leading to a greater role for private companies in fighter jet manufacturing.

The transport aircraft sector in India has already seen a shift towards private sector participation, with companies like Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) taking on significant roles. Similarly, HAL is increasingly collaborating with private sector partners for projects like the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH).

While acknowledging the potential benefits of such partnerships, Vaidya emphasizes the need for HAL to solidify its position as the sole entity capable of manufacturing fighter jets in India, given the strategic importance of self-reliance in defence.

Former IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, has openly advocated for private sector involvement in the production of the Tejas MkII. However, this suggestion has faced resistance from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) due to concerns about underutilization of HAL's facilities.

The MoD's stance is to ensure that HAL remains fully engaged, especially as the production of the Tejas Mk1A nears completion and the transition to the Tejas MkII is expected around 2028-29.

This situation presents both a challenge and an opportunity for HAL. The company must demonstrate efficiency and reliability in its production lines while also adapting to the changing landscape of defence manufacturing.

Collaboration with private entities in certain areas, like the IMRH, could serve as a testing ground for broader partnerships in the future, potentially even in fighter jet production if HAL fails to meet expectations.

For HAL, the challenge is not just about increasing production numbers but also about maintaining quality, integrating new technologies, and potentially restructuring its operations to become more agile and competitive. Its ability to adapt and deliver on its commitments will be crucial in maintaining its central role in India's defence manufacturing ecosystem.

 

India's Ghatak Stealth UCAV to Feature Advanced Digital Beamforming for Enhanced Radar and Communication Systems Data Reveals India's Astra Mk3 Missile Boasts 20% Higher Ramjet Efficiency Than European Meteor, Enhancing Range and Speed

[R. Singh]

HAL will be in trouble if TATA+Lockheed Martin start making F-36 and F-35 in India !

 

[Nathan]

Please move AMCA and TEDBF to TATA . Only by doing such actions only can save our country defence capability to better position

 

[FROST]

Please relieve the incapable HAL from its trouble. The Govt should know the capacity and efficiency of HAL and give it relief. Let their researchers and engineers keep dreaming of assault fighters

 

[Sleeping soul]

Why not indian industries come together to make fighterjet ?

 

[Leored]

Break HAL in parts. privatize each subsidiary and joint venture it with other private companies. Stand alone HAL is pathetic

 

[sanket]

Follow-on orders will be signed with HAL, production is already being raised, the Nashik plant is already operational, Bangalore has a 16 per year production rate. The question is, can GE match 24 engines delivery per year? I have said several times that GE needs to ramp up the production rate of GE-404 to beyond 28 to 30. How many private players have shown interest in the assembly of the AMCA project? Have any private players shown interest? They need a return on investment/sure shot business. Under MRFA, there's a good chance for private players to enter the fighter jet assembly line.

 

[Rising Sun]

No private player has shown interest in AMCA.

My question is, why is the Indian Air Force official behaving like a child who ordered Biryani at 7 pm, but the whole cooking system shut down at that time and was restarted, so the final Biryani will be delivered at 9:30 pm?

There is still no confirmation from the MoD about how many Tejas Mk2s they want to induct into the Air Force, so HAL is signing a deal for 99 GE-414 engines. Why? The actual requirement is 150 Tejas + 30 spare engines + 80 for 40 AMCA.

There will be a requirement for a total of 210-230 engines in upcoming years. If we consider that the GE facility could deliver 20 engines in a single year, it will take another 10 years to deliver if production starts today.

The deal is not signed, and no facility has been developed so far. To develop a whole engine manufacturing ecosystem, it will take another 3-5 years because 2 years will pass "dekhte dekhte."

The IAF and those who selected the GE-414 should be penalized.

If the IAF approached with only uniform EJ-2000 engines for all platforms, it would have better supply stability today.

What is the edge of Tejas Mk2 over Tejas Mk1A?

What if the Tejas Mk1B version had a 90kN engine, with slightly higher length, lower max takeoff, maybe like 16T, with a weapon carrying capacity of 5.5T?

Visionless Defence Secretaries and bogus financial rules, like the L1 bidder as the winner, should be removed from defence item purchases, keeping national security and interest the top priority for long-term goals.

 

[Preet]

HAL is way too overburdened, be it licensed manufacturing or engines (for RD-93, AL-31), helicopters (Chetak, Dhruv, Prachand, etc.), fighter programs, trainers; they even make engines for ISRO rockets, also the UCAVs. I mean, bruh, this much burden on a government company, it can't function.

Some work must be transferred to the private sector, making both private entities and HAL efficient.

It is necessary that we give the private sector all the blueprints for Tejas Mk2 and TEDBF and even Ghatak and Swift, and let HAL handle Tejas Mk1A and AMCA (because stealth capabilities are better in government hands). This thing MUST be done.

 

[Akhil]

The question is whether the problem is due to HAL production line or on the side of sub-vendors? We know HAL has already built new assembly lines fully dedicated to Tejas capable of churning 16 jets/year. That means the machinery is bought, technicians trained. The jets can be built but the sub vendors are disappointing India. GE cannot deliver the rate they promised. Even if they deliver 10 engines tomorrow and assume, 10 fully functional chassis are already available in HAL storage, it will still take time to fit in engine, test the jet and deliver it to IAF.

The delay from GE is costing us HUGE. And because Indian Government is not putting penalties on them, means we do not have options. The engine selection had many constraints both geopolitical and engineering constraints. We required a engine with similar dimensions as Kaveri which initially we assumed will power Tejas as well as other constraints.

 

[Shiva]

It is nonsense saying HAL is facing severe issues of delivery delays in Tejas MK1A, as the delay is purely due to GE engine delivery. There is no issue from HAL. Indeed, HAL is robust enough to invent workarounds.

So, this is a tactical narrative created intentionally by vested forces to use Indian media as a weapon. So, Indian media people should be aware of it and stop being part of such anti-national activities.

HAL was asking to use its engine for a decade. But vested interests mesmerized the immature new government by using media exaggerations. Now, the government realized it and handed the engine back to HAL. So, naturally, the HAL engine will be used.

Now, with lost hope, these kinds of narratives are introduced to create artificial pressure on HAL.

Such dirty politics, people are easily aware of.

 

[Dr]

Production capacity should be increased to atleast 30 to 36 aircrafts per year then only we can maintain squadron strength of 33/34 as we will have to retire Mig 21 Mig 29 Jaguars Mirages in coming years & need to buy 5th generation F35 which probably will not be available then 72 SU57 till our 5.5 genration program starts production as we are sitting on 114 aircrafts tender for last 10 years without any progress but now we need 5th generation aircrafts not 4.5 as we can produce Tejas MK2

 

[binu boro]

HAL would save its nose if it handed over the production of Tejas Mk1 and II to private players. It already got its due recognition (name and fame) for whatever they did to date. It's now time to part ways with production for the best interest of the country. By doing so, it can concentrate on AMCA, 5th and 6th-gen aircraft, etc. It should also take the help of ISRO with regards to the Kaveri engine upgrade and other future aircraft engines.

 

[binu boro]

The question is whether the problem is due to HAL production line or on the side of sub-vendors? We know HAL has already built new assembly lines fully dedicated to Tejas capable of churning 16 jets/year. That means the machinery is bought, technicians trained. The jets can be built but the sub vendors are disappointing India. GE cannot deliver the rate they promised. Even if they deliver 10 engines tomorrow and assume, 10 fully functional chassis are already available in HAL storage, it will still take time to fit in engine, test the jet and deliver it to IAF.

The delay from GE is costing us HUGE. And because Indian Government is not putting penalties on them, means we do not have options. The engine selection had many constraints both geopolitical and engineering constraints. We required a engine with similar dimensions as Kaveri which initially we assumed will power Tejas as well as other constraints.

I feel the assembly lines can be better utilised for rolling out prototypes of advanced aircrafts while the Tejas mk I and II are being produced by pvt players. Of course HAL will have to support the pvt players with it's know how. But if extreme necessity demands then HALs assembly lines can be utilised for mk I and II too to ramp up production.

 

[Prof. Prodyut Das]

You are all blaming the wrong organisation. The producibilty of the design the root cause of the delays. It also may be the case that the design is so mediocre it is not worth producing and so HAL is the designated fall guy. It is possible ADA that is being protected .

 

[Sandeep]

This definitely won’t happen for the Tejas MK1A or MK2. Otherwise HAL would cease to exist and currently there’s no alternative company that can develop a fighter jet.

 

[Francesco Calle de rivas]

All developed countries divest defence production to their private entities. This makes it fast and also ramps up defence and export production. India is stuck between Soviet ideals and Western ideas. Why can't HAL sub contract private companies then to shore up production instead of controlling something that is not HAL's but country's.

 

[ASHOK CARROL]

HAL needs an overhaul with DRDO and GTRE. Disinvest 49% or 51% equity. Appoint a professional, aerospace-qualified and experienced CEO financially empowered to reform, modernize, and professionalize the organization into a productive, result-oriented, and profitable entity. Reservations, relatives, kinship, unions, goons, political appointees, and MOD oversight, which results in commissions, need to be removed and eliminated.