HAL Confirms Early 2025 Rollout of Tejas Mk2 Prototype, Initial Structural Assembly Underway

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has confirmed significant progress in the development of the LCA Tejas Mk2 fighter jet, announcing that the prototype is now under construction and on track for an early rollout in the later part of 2025.

This revised timeline, ahead of earlier projections of a March 2026 debut, marks a major milestone in India's indigenous fighter jet program.

Jayadeva EP, Deputy General Manager at HAL, stated that the initial structural assembly of the Tejas Mk2 prototype is already underway. This accelerated development could allow for more extensive pre-flight testing and data collection, potentially ensuring a smoother transition to the first flight, which remains scheduled for March 2026.

The Tejas Mk2 is a significant advancement over its predecessor, the Tejas Mk1. It is designed to boast a more powerful GE-414 engine, advanced radar systems, and increased payload capacity. These enhancements are expected to significantly bolster the capabilities of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Additional Information​

• GE-414 Engine Deal: The development of the Tejas Mk2 is closely linked to the recent historic deal between India and the US for the GE-414 jet engine. This engine will not only power the Tejas Mk2 but also the twin-engine Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF).
• Ambitious Production Plans: HAL has outlined ambitious plans to produce at least 120 Tejas Mk2 fighter jets by 2036. This is anticipated to coincide with the retirement of the IAF's aging Mirage-2000 and MiG-29UPG fleets.

The successful rollout and first flight of the Tejas Mk2 prototype will be pivotal in demonstrating India's growing prowess in aerospace engineering and indigenous defence technology. This achievement could have broader implications for the country's defence capabilities and its role in the global aerospace industry.

 

[Akshat]

Its pathetic for HAL, taking nearly 2years just to assemble the aircraft.

Complete assembly by late24 or March 25 & first flight by late 25.

None of that is happening.

 

[Akshat]

Taareekh pe taarekh from 2023, to 2024 now 2025.

Actual date was much earlier. At one point it was supposed to come out in 2013 (I don't have official links now but multiple articles from that time can be found online). Then it was 2022. Now 2025. So well over a decade of delays.

 

[Tanishq Bafila]

Stop blaming the Govt.....world over companies dont wait for the govt to approve every bit and piece. They keep utilizing internal funds and R&D to start with prototypes and a basic intial product before trying to secure firm orders.
Look what HAL did with PRachand. In case of MK2, its HAL being lethargic and outright stpd as there is no one to insert a rod yet. Let pvt sectors mature in next decade, HAL will have a serious existential crises

HAL , DRDO all companies comes under MOD , MOD makes all calls regarding their functioning, it's not halwa that you can utilise 30-40% internal funds for projects.

You have to get clearance for the MOD , and why would a company use it's internal funds for R&D , when the clearance comes after 1-2 years...

First you get into contract with the party , then you start making arrangements to deliver any product..

Private companies are currently busy in screwdriving , they missed the opportunity to come along in AMCA , when the government is giving funds for the prototypes and they just have to use the facilities of DPSUs to make the prototypes , still no Private companies came forward...

DPSUs are not efficient & private players want only profit

 

[The Presence]

Taareekh pe taarekh from 2023, to 2024 now 2025.

Yeah I too was thinking, wasn't production supposed to start in 2025 ?

 

[Akshat]

Yeah I too was thinking, wasn't production supposed to start in 2025 ?

Initially production was supposed to start in 2016 as per HAL documents to vendors (quoted by media). And then people wonder why companies don't come forward when HAL/DRDO invites them to be vendors/partners. Imagine the vendors who developed and gave price back then waiting for orders till now.

 

[Sangram]

whenever they say it's advance so basically they are saying it will take a time

 

[Bhishma]

Then let HAL do the same. Steal foreign technology and develop LCA MK2 and AMCA quickly.

We dont do that. We dont want to become world's pariah like the Chinese. China's copy paste technique will not work in the long run. It leads to poor work culture - they dont have understanding, lack of innovation, poor quality. They have a "flying thing" in the sky, but is it battle worthy ? Everybody who bought their junk is unhappy. Rumours are even their priced jets are junk.

Solution to our problems is not copy-pasting. We do have our problems but China-model is not the way to go. We have good relations with everyone. Back stabbing them is very bad on all fronts. It would be a self harming exercise. Our problem is lack of efficiency, not lack of capability. they can be addressed in other ways.

 

[Mridul baruah]

Be ready for another date...most likely mid 2026.

 

[RalphRearden]

HAL , DRDO all companies comes under MOD , MOD makes all calls regarding their functioning, it's not halwa that you can utilise 30-40% internal funds for projects.

You have to get clearance for the MOD , and why would a company use it's internal funds for R&D , when the clearance comes after 1-2 years...

First you get into contract with the party , then you start making arrangements to deliver any product..

Private companies are currently busy in screwdriving , they missed the opportunity to come along in AMCA , when the government is giving funds for the prototypes and they just have to use the facilities of DPSUs to make the prototypes , still no Private companies came forward...

DPSUs are not efficient & private players want only profit

Lol, another DPSU babu category response....who is asking or preventing HAL to start looking for international orders and gear up towards those...why should HAL be the sole supplier to IAF and rely only on orders from Indian armed forces...if they know it will take 5 years for approvals and funds, go do market research and develop something for export instead of sitting around and sipping tea....HAL babus are third grade inefficient babus with zero mativation and negative IQ since they have no incentive to perform. (that is the fault of MOD who themselves are staffed with lifelong tenured fixed salary officers/clerks)

 

[Pink Panther]

Wait till it is done. But it will be done. Maybe a year or two here and there.

French lobby is so anxious and jealous. And rightly so. Mk2 will eat into MRFA orders. Given how much France is likely to charge, Mk2 is even likely to kill MRFA altogether. Cost of Rafale M in media is a very good indicator - $6B for 26 Rafale M where infra, training, India specific enhancements, armaments and even good part of spares are mostly paid for. $2.5B about 17-18 years back for upgrade of 50 odd Mirage is another indicator. As a benchmark, we could have ordered nearly 80 MK1 with far superior armament.

We must learn and build our own. Only temporary and critical gaps may be foreign.IAF and MoD severely delayed orders for Mk1A. Anyways. Let’s see how much have we learnt.

This is why we need to drag MRFA for another 2 years, to see how MK2 progresses and then decide, for now we need to focus on Super SU-30 upgrade in full swing and induct MK1A as many as we can/ year, as you say MRFA might kill MK2, if there isn urgent need we could always go for 1 extra squadron of SU-30 OR Rafale if we can get them within 3-5 years.

 

[Pink Panther]

Nothing of this type is ever this late. Well over 2 decades just for roll out. Clearly our developers learned nothing at all in Tejas and will slip further in AMCA. That's unique to DRDO/HAL.

IAF is not worrying , why we have to.

 

[Pink Panther]

Continuous development block by block is the key to a great fighter jet.

We are currently setting up all the building blocks , eventually everything will fall into the right place and the process will be streamlined.

 

[Pink Panther]

Chances of early rollout in 2025 is very low, if it happens it is great news as this will help in mk2 going into early production by 29-30.

There is no urgency, let it take it’s own time, it will happen for sure, for the most part MK2 is MK1A.

 

[Tanishq Bafila]

Lol, another DPSU babu category response....who is asking or preventing HAL to start looking for international orders and gear up towards those...why should HAL be the sole supplier to IAF and rely only on orders from Indian armed forces...if they know it will take 5 years for approvals and funds, go do market research and develop something for export instead of sitting around and sipping tea....HAL babus are third grade inefficient babus with zero mativation and negative IQ since they have no incentive to perform. (that is the fault of MOD who themselves are staffed with lifelong tenured fixed salary officers/clerks)

Another keyboard warrior here , who knows nothing but comes here to spread his negativeness.

China has been in the Aircraft manufacturing business since early 1990's and how many products have they sold till date ? Except some cheap Jf-17 to Poverty stricken countries.

I guess you missed the economics & business class in School... HAL & all other DPSUs comes under MOD. , for everything to make they have to ask permission from the MOD and only if MOD is ready for the R&D budget .. then CCS give clearance for the funds...

Kindly tell us the R&D budget of Defence DPSUs and compare it with Japan , China , USA , South korea , UK , Germany, Israel..

Bhai yaha apni bhadas mat nikal , sponge ball le le usse press krte rehna... Aur jo negative IQ ki baat krra HAL officials ki to you don't get 1% of their respect in the society...

Go and read some articles on web and follow some social media handles of good defence journalists in twitter

Bina dimaag k baat sirf parrot aur bewde krte hai

 

[Raja Raja Cholan]

Hopefully HAL's serious timeline for pre flight, first flight and production stays that way unlike the usual backtracking on the timeline shift. However my main concern is that the government will seriously look into the procurement of 114 MRFA fighter aircrafts to close the gap in shrinking fighter squadrons in the IAF. Looking at the slow pace of production rate of LCA and Mk1A the government cannot entirely depend on the LCA and Mk1A to fill the gap. Even if can't afford the kind of budget for 114 aircrafts in one purchase it can be stretched to 2 or 3 installments in the following years.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Yeah I too was thinking, wasn't production supposed to start in 2025 ?

In Sep/oct 2022, when they received funding approval. It was published that by 2027 they will complete trials with 4 prototypes. By 2030 it will enter service. Now first flight in 2026( they say) it may be 2027, 4 prototypes and testing there after. Looks like till the time Rafael's are not inducted in large numbers Tejas MK2 will be delayed for one reason or another.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Actual date was much earlier. At one point it was supposed to come out in 2013 (I don't have official links now but multiple articles from that time can be found online). Then it was 2022. Now 2025. So well over a decade of delays.

4 prototypes have to be build then certifications, IAF will test it subsequently. It was delayed to make way for Rafaels. Lets hope they buy 36-48 more Rafaels and expedite desi platforms.

 

[Akshat]

4 prototypes have to be build then certifications, IAF will test it subsequently. It was delayed to make way for Rafaels. Lets hope they buy 36-48 more Rafaels and expedite desi platforms.

Again, IAF doesn't test these planes. IAF gives it's requirements. DRDO tests them and certifies them. That was the process for Tejas and so far that has been the process for Dhruv, LUH and others.

And really? It was delayed for Rafales? Rafale was already selected in 2011. The negotiations were happening till 2016. It was supposed to roll out in 2013. So it was delayed all this while for Rafale? Stop defending these criminals.

 

[Akshat]

IAF is not worrying , why we have to.

Well IAF has been begging for planes. Don't know what else they have to do to show they are worried.

 

[bonito]

Then let HAL do the same. Steal foreign technology and develop LCA MK2 and AMCA quickly.
What is stopping HAL from doing the same?Their sense of righteousness, or their sheer incompetency?

My information is in public domain. Anybody can freely check for references of my claim on Wikipedia.Now, If you have an alternate information, let us know the source, instead of indulging in whataboutery.

The precise question I had. Indian govt has multiple times gone overboard to spend. It has not shyed away from immediate purchase or any other spending. HAL needs to present a convincing concept to garner more funds that's all. And it's not like India invents or discovers every thing from scratch all the theories and concepts are western . Nothing is India's IP so in a way it is copying only.

 

[bonito]

We dont do that. We dont want to become world's pariah like the Chinese. China's copy paste technique will not work in the long run. It leads to poor work culture - they dont have understanding, lack of innovation, poor quality. They have a "flying thing" in the sky, but is it battle worthy ? Everybody who bought their junk is unhappy. Rumours are even their priced jets are junk.

Solution to our problems is not copy-pasting. We do have our problems but China-model is not the way to go. We have good relations with everyone. Back stabbing them is very bad on all fronts. It would be a self harming exercise. Our problem is lack of efficiency, not lack of capability. they can be addressed in other ways.

So you mean to say all the concept and theories invented by Indians ? The spec for flying objects to this day is invented by westerners. Do you want to say just an implementation of the spec called Tejas is completely Indian ? Do you want to tell the world that all the Knowledge acquired in building an aircraft originated here ?

 

[Philippe Picard]

IAF is not worrying , why we have to.

the expert had spoken...better with the F-16...

 

[Bhishma]

So you mean to say all the concept and theories invented by Indians ? The spec for flying objects to this day is invented by westerners. Do you want to say just an implementation of the spec called Tejas is completely Indian ? Do you want to tell the world that all the Knowledge acquired in building an aircraft originated here ?

My guess is you have no work experience or knowledge on any engineering field ? I responded to "stealing", you talk about " an implementation of the spec " - are they the same thing ?
Seems Chinese economy is doing really bad, we used to get smart wumaos. Now its all stup1d 20-something kids who have no clue what they are talking about.

 

[Vijigishu ( विजिग्शु )]

ExCept rafale is an Established proven 4th+gen fighter and a twin engine there will not be significant difference between capabilities between those 2. You can complain about it being developed late, but if tejas mk2 comes up with all promised capabilities it will be a good fighter jet which can compete with rafale, j10ce or other 4th plus gen fighters. Stop these fascinations with foreign maal and degrading everything indian. Every tech that rafale has mk2 will have comparable similar capabilities

And about being late every development of this type has always been late, its not making a simple nut or bolt. More we develop these complex products , more developers will learn from their previous mistakes where time was lost, they will correct it in amca or amca mk2.thats how it always has been.

Rafale can carry more internal fuel which means more time in the sky. Rafale can carry more weapons. Rafale has excellent mechanical performance way better than what mk2 may achieve.
Rafale has bleeding edge electronics and avionics - Spectra EW, IRST, TV sensor, infra-red search and track (IRST) system etc. Rafale can supercruise mk2 probably can't. If you don't find it " significant difference" then I can't convince you.

Rafael is flying for decades while mk2 is in prototype stage. HAL is known for their excellent promise fulfilling also. And I'm not degrading Indian product, I always want them to be best. But I also want to be honest. If MK2 achieves what F16 did, I would be happy man.

 

[Dr. Saptarishi Chatterjee]

To all educated and well versed Defense analysts. It is a kind and humble request not to waste your time thinking about Tejas MK1A or MK2 or AMCA ....Reasons are mentioned below

1. In the past 2 years post Ukraine war, Indian Foreign ministry was very vocal about buying Russian Oil, mostly in press conferences which was not so much liked by US. Recent visit by PM Modi ji to Russia was just a Cherry on the top of the cake of "blundering the Foreign policy with US".

2. "You should not be a chooser if you are a beggar" This is an old saying and our Defense industries should focus on this motto. We were planning to Export Tejas MK1A, now we are begging Engines from US.

3. The GE 404/ 414 will never be given to India. Now India is hoping that Trump will come and every thing will be fine...That's not how US administration works. Trump will add extra clauses in selling GE 404/414 engines- You buy F21/F 15 EX then only we will sell you engines...How that's sounds.??..

4. BJP led govt has practically destroyed the defense sector by unnecessary venturing multiple Countries for joint ventures. As of the present no one is interested in India, unless India buys their equipment. No country gives you technology in a platter specially Aviation Industry...The Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme has backfired and as the days pass by more and more questions are being raised.

5. In a whole Tejas, AMCA Arjun, Zorawar all the projects are practically Dead and we have depleting Airforce and Army inventories are getting old day by day. Thanks to out MOD, in not funding properly these projects and hoping to get the brownies from private sectors...

6. The worst part is the AGNIVEER scheme, which has resulted in a weak army e.g- Poorly trained Agniveers getting killed in Jammu...In future, as these soldier will be out of service what do you expect from them- A trained soldier with 20 Lakh in bank account, most likely he will become an outlaw if he doesn't get a job. Who will handle them??

7. Many questions are being raised and as the US Ambassador pointed out " There is no Strategic autonomy in a War". Our Govts failure is not to listen to him as it was a warning to India in an indirect manner- Result- Destabilized Bangladesh.

Its high time to wake up and ask question to the present Govt.

India is far behind western world in Aviation and Defense Industry, and we should accept it rather than depicting a picture that we can challenge any eventualities.... overconfidence can be dangerous.

The present Govt is destroying the defense of the country by compromising in quality and quantity of the equipment and the ground force...