HAL's Nashik Plant Completes Infrastructure for Tejas Mk1A, Aiming for 8 Jets per Year with First Delivery Expected in March 2025

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has achieved a significant milestone in its Tejas program with the completion of the Nashik production line for the advanced Tejas Mk1A fighter jet. This new facility is poised to significantly ramp up production, aiming to deliver eight jets annually, with the first aircraft rollout expected in March 2025.

This development marks a major step forward for India's indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities. The Nashik plant, inaugurated in 2023, will become the third production line for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), joining HAL's two existing facilities in Bengaluru. Each line is projected to produce eight Tejas Mk1A aircraft per year, significantly boosting the Indian Air Force's (IAF) combat fleet.

The Tejas Mk1A boasts several advancements over its predecessor, including enhanced avionics, an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, advanced electronic warfare systems, and reduced turnaround time for maintenance. These upgrades are crucial for modern aerial warfare and will significantly enhance the IAF's operational capabilities.

While the Nashik plant is nearing completion, the Tejas Mk1A project has faced some delays due to supply chain disruptions, particularly in sourcing engines from the United States. Despite these challenges, HAL has ensured that its production infrastructure remains on schedule to avoid further delays once the supply chain issues are resolved.

The Nashik facility also plays a vital role in upgrading and producing the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, a mainstay of the IAF's fleet. This dual focus highlights the plant's importance in strengthening India's air defence capabilities.

The induction of the Tejas Mk1A comes at a crucial juncture for the IAF, which is facing challenges with its declining fighter squadron strength. The IAF signed a significant deal with HAL in February 2021 for 83 Mk1A fighters, and deliveries are expected to commence in 2025, with full-scale production supported by the facilities in Bengaluru and Nashik.

The Tejas Mk1A, produced at this state-of-the-art facility, will play a crucial role in bolstering the IAF's combat capabilities and ensuring India's air superiority in the years to come.

 

[sanket]

Another guess comes true. I said the Nashik plant may start by December 2024, but GE failed on another side to deliver even a single engine by December 2024, too. Forget about November. HAL can keep more airframes ready. At least GE should deliver some GE-404 engines by March 2025, if not this year. Reputation? Professionalism? All crossed the limit for GE. High time to taste chai samosa chutney for GE fanboys.

 

[Rinku Pandey]

Well done! Engine problem will be solved once Doolandji becomes POTUS.

 

[Sandeep]

This facility has been inaugurated about 3 times by now. I really wish that they actually start to manufacture and roll out the jets as the delays are causing a lot of problems.

 

[Samrat]

Well sorry if I sound ignorant but how we can't make a jet engine even turkey has made one we have 1.4 billion people i hate this bureaucracy and delays

 

[Shiva]

We should not stop here. Now we have experience in building a dedicated line for Tejas M1A. So, it is a good time to start three more similar production lines to increase employment and dedicated teams by recruiting fresh teams who will specialize in training for this program.

Indian production capacity is not at the scale of bulk production. We are merely creating very few per week.

But in a war scenario, the demand is 50 to 100 times higher. This one is trusted and will be used in any long-run war scenario. So, our production lines should be on par with these expectations. Even if war doesn't happen, these produced products could potentially be exported if required.

Also, this will provide employment and boost GDP growth.

 

[Shiva]

Well done! Engine problem will be solved once Doolandji becomes POTUS.

Yeah. expecting Trump, will resume engine supplies to India.
We can clearly see, Russia is giving license for few and India has to take permission to produce AL-FP engines. It means, India does not have strategic decision making power to decide how many it can produce.
This kind of dependency is, definitely CANNOT BE considered as, an indepth trusted relationship.

If Russia really trusts India, then why India has to take permission from Russian Government, everytime, we need to create AL-FP engines??
Whatever that Russian kit, India could had directed ordered with the corresponding company, without requiring a special permission.

It seems, Russia is also controlling the quantity of production there by doing one form of blackmail, Just similar how pre-trump US Govt used GE delays for doing same.

I am sure, once trump comes,

1. Russian sanctions will be removed or reduced drastically
2. Russia will stop selling oil to India in INR and takes back most of its money back into dollars. There by reducing , the investment capacity of India.
3. Will allow US companies to sell as many compo3nents as possible by maing sure, the transac3tions uses USD payment system
4. Within a couple of years, many of their minister will make new strategic deals with India and potentially India and US may also develop a strategic product , j3ust s3imil3ar to Brahmos.
5. US has to identify a technology, whcih can be produced by using a combi3nati3on of highest capacities of both to 3create a product, wh3ich if 3any of the two tries to produce individuall3y should take 20 to 30 years of time.

 

[Blademaster]

8 planes a year???? That’s slow.