HAL Expands Tejas Production Lines and Tackles Component Availability to Deliver 12 Jets in 2025, 20 Annually Thereafter

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is significantly increasing production of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to meet the needs of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and support India's drive for self-reliance in defense manufacturing.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has mandated that HAL deliver 12 Tejas aircraft in 2025, followed by an ambitious target of 20 aircraft annually from 2026 onwards. This directive highlights the government's commitment to the "Make in India" initiative, prioritizing domestically produced defense platforms.

The IAF has already inducted two squadrons of Tejas aircraft: No. 45 "Flying Daggers" in 2016 and No. 18 "Flying Bullets" in 2020. However, past production rates have been slower than desired due to factors such as supply chain challenges, certification processes, and the complexities of integrating advanced systems, particularly for the upgraded Mk-1A variant.

The increased production targets for 2025 and beyond demonstrate a renewed effort to address these issues and accelerate deliveries to meet the IAF's operational needs.

To achieve these goals, HAL has been actively improving its production infrastructure and supply chain management. The company has two assembly lines specifically for the Tejas – one in Bengaluru and another in Nashik. Each facility is designed to produce up to eight aircraft per year.

Furthermore, HAL has collaborated with private sector companies like Larsen & Toubro and Dynamatic Technologies. These partnerships allow for the outsourcing of sub-assembly and component manufacturing, increasing overall production speed and shortening delivery times.

HAL is also responsible for ensuring the timely availability of crucial systems for the Tejas Mk-1A. These include the EL/M-2052 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, locally developed avionics, and advanced weaponry such as the Astra air-to-air missile and the BrahMos-NG air-to-ground missile.

The MoD has stressed the importance of maintaining high quality and adhering to strict timelines, and HAL has reportedly formed a dedicated project management team to specifically oversee the Tejas production and delivery.

The 2025 target of 12 aircraft is a substantial increase from HAL's previous delivery rate of approximately 4-6 aircraft per year. Reaching this target will necessitate resolving remaining supply chain bottlenecks, especially concerning the availability of GE F-404 engines and other imported parts. Simultaneously, HAL must increase the production of domestically produced systems.

The subsequent goal of 20 aircraft annually from 2026 is in line with HAL's broader objective of reaching a production capacity of 24 aircraft per year by 2028, as stated in the company's strategic plans.

The Tejas Mk-1A represents a significant advancement over the original Mk-1, featuring improved avionics, an AESA radar, an electronic warfare suite, and enhanced weapon-carrying capabilities. The DRDO, which designed and developed the Tejas, highlights the aircraft's maneuverability, low maintenance requirements, and suitability for operations in varied environments.

By accelerating Tejas deliveries, the HAL aims to strengthen the IAF's combat capabilities while decreasing dependence on foreign imports, a core principle of the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (Self-Reliant India) initiative.

 

[AK S]

Not surprised by your comment, expected it. Do not forget it was HAL's bad decision going in for an aero engine, the production of which had ceased. Let them first complete the delivery of 40 Tejas Mk1, for which the engines are already there. It is a good decision by MOD to utilise the private sector for faster delivery of Tejas Mk2 & AMCA. HAL has become a redundant organisarion by its inefficiency.

French meltdown and propaganda against their competition continue. Not surprised to see Frenchies apologizing for GE failures. They think it will help the cause of Rafale. Get used to MK1A and, in a few years, Mk2. As far as the GE F404, or even GE F414, is concerned, this government will figure it out, one way or the other. And now that F35 and Su57 are in the MRFA fray, Rafale has lost a lot of ground. Tell your masters to lower the Rafale price and hurry up, or else...

I'll reiterate the facts, not for you, as you are well aware, but for others:

1. Engine selection is a whole-of-system approach, selected by the designer (i.e., ADA) with IAF acting as gatekeeper through CDR. So, the engine was selected by IAF and ADA.
2. The engine was not selected by HAL, but rather handed down.
3. IAF took a good 3 years to finalize the price of MK1A after HAL RFP - guess all the capital budget was consumed in the Rafale acquisition. This was the time when GE ramped down the production of F404. If IAF had been proactive, things would have been a lot better. Maybe a few squadrons of MK1A would have been flying by now. Lost opportunity, indeed.
4. The GE 404 engine deal was mainly between MoD & IAF and GE. HAL's presence is just as a manufacturing party. In fact, IAF negotiated separate deals with GE for MRO, etc.
5. GE apologists in overdrive mode... blaming HAL for GE failure or the US geopolitical pressure. It's not going to work.

 

[Rinku Pandey]

Marut was a fantastic aircraft by design. It was a product of German design engineering by a maverick designer named Kurt Tank. All it needed was a powerful engine, but our great cabinet decided that we would build it internally even when we had no specific expertise. Result: it was mated with a substandard, deficient engine, and the rest is history.

Yes that's my point. Even today Bharat doesn't habe any expertise in engine development.

 

[Leo red]

Good, so now we will fly fighters without engines. It is already seen we are at the mercy of GE engines; everything was cooked and planned. Most of the supply of weapons from the US is purposely delayed, from Apaches to engines, etc. And what about falling HAL helicopters, like paper, and maintenance issues? Corruption, poor quality of parts, and delays. They are taking all chances to finish the production line. Of course, there is a planned way to delay and damage weapon systems and domestic weapons development plans.

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

Marut was a fantastic aircraft by design. It was a product of German design engineering by a maverick designer named Kurt Tank. All it needed was a powerful engine, but our great cabinet decided that we would build it internally even when we had no specific expertise. Result: it was mated with a substandard, deficient engine, and the rest is history.

They did look around for a decent engin

 

[Rinku Pandey]

They did look around for a decent engin

Because Bharat got sanctioned post Nuclear tests.

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

Yes that's my point. Even today Bharat doesn't habe any expertise in engine development.

Today Indian industry has progressed to the point where a sustained and co-ordinated effort 'might' yield good results. There is enough money to support such an effort.
But sadly the policy focus is missing.

 

[Dredd]

Yes that's my point. Even today Bharat doesn't habe any expertise in engine development.

When you didn't even provide licenses to private players until 2017 for small arms like rifle and pistol development, how can you expect any expertise in any defence production?

 

[Sandeep]

Even when they had the capacity to manufacture more of the jets they still didn’t. It’s hard to see how they will manufacture so many jets on time even when they could have. The only way to make up for lost time is to allow the private sector to manufacture the entire jets.

 

[swatkats_razor]

They did look around for a decent engin

They went penny pinching for a few crore rupees, on something which would have been cutting edge at that time. Today, we are scouting the world for technology and nobody is ready to part even for billions of dollars. Opportunity cost is a real thing, and Nehruvian politics was as short sighted as they come.