IAF Seeks to Keep MiG-21 Bison for Some More Years Amidst Delays in F-404 Engines for Tejas Mk1A

The Indian Air Force (IAF) eyeing to extend service life of its aging MiG-21 Bison fighter jets due to ongoing delays in the delivery of Tejas Mk1A aircraft. The delays stem from a shortage of F-404 engines supplied by GE Aerospace, a critical component of the domestically produced Tejas Mk1A.

This decision comes as a setback to the IAF's modernization plans, which heavily relied on the timely induction of the Tejas Mk1A to replace the MiG-21 Bisons. Originally slated for complete retirement by 2025, the MiG-21s will now continue to fly, albeit at a reduced operational tempo, until sufficient Tejas Mk1A jets are delivered to form a full squadron.

The IAF had planned to establish the first Tejas Mk1A squadron in July of this year at Nal airbase near Bikaner, the current home of the last operational MiG-21 Bisons. However, the engine supply bottleneck has hampered production at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the manufacturer of the Tejas, pushing back the timeline.

The MiG-21 Bison, despite undergoing numerous upgrades since its introduction in the 1960s, is now well past its intended service life. While it has a long and storied combat history, the aircraft has also been associated with a number of operational accidents, raising concerns about its safety record.

The Tejas Mk1A, a lightweight multirole fighter, represents a significant leap forward in capability compared to its predecessor, the Tejas Mk1. It features advanced avionics, an AESA radar, enhanced electronic warfare systems, and expanded weapons carrying capacity.

Despite the delays, the IAF remains committed to the Tejas program. With the first Tejas Mk1A jets expected to arrive soon, the IAF is focused on completing squadron formations and ensuring operational readiness.

The IAF has 83 Tejas Mk1A fighters on order and plans to procure an additional 97 by the end of this year, underscoring its faith in the domestically developed platform.

This situation highlights the challenges faced by India to develop and produce advanced defence technology. Supply chain disruptions, particularly for critical components like engines, can significantly impact India's military modernization programs and force adjustments in strategic planning.

 

[R. Singh]

Better buy French air force Mirage-2000s and UAE Mirage 2000s !

 

[Bard of Anarchy]

How many more widows until MoD & IAF are satisfied 😔

 

[PKPRS]

We have Marut also.

 

[Anant]

Of course it will. What's the new date? 2063? Oh, wait. We'll just lose the whole fleet to attrition before then.

I hear Syria and Angola are planning to dispose off their MiG-21s. Let's go buy those as well while we are at it, why don't we?

 

[Rinku Pandey]

How many more widows until MoD & IAF are satisfied 😔

What has IAF got to do with this when there are no funds to buy foreign fighters and mk1A is facing delays?

 

[Bard of Anarchy]

What has IAF got to do with this when there are no funds to buy foreign fighters and mk1A is facing delays?

$8B for 36 rafales for IN, but no buxx for IAF to replenish their squadron strength?

 

[Anant]

What has IAF got to do with this when there are no funds to buy foreign fighters and mk1A is facing delays?

The funding is available. While some budgetary adjustments will be necessary, the resources are present. The obstacle lies in the fact that certain individuals within the Ministry of Defence continue to hold an unfounded belief in HAL's ability to deliver, leading them to engage in unproductive delays and indecision.

 

[sanket]

Tejas MK1A delays Courtesy GE-404 Engine delay. point to b noted have prevented HAL from meeting its production targets. Ha Ha HA ha HA

 

[GMR]

Also pull out some MIG 25s or 27s or even GNATS to build up our squarden strength..

 

[NSR]

Order immediately 13 SU-30MKIs in Super Sukhoi configuration to replace the attritioned SU-30MKIs.

Order additional 54 Super Sukhois configuration as soon as possible to address the dwindling fighter strengths.

India is flirting with very dangerous situation with fighters and extremely turbulent times all over the world.

Get to the task immediately.

 

[Anant]

We have Marut also.

Might need a time machine for that, but please don't give them ideas...

 

[Anant]

Also pull out some MIG 25s or 27s or even GNATS to build up our squarden strength..

Please don't give them ideas... HAL will just roll out a Super Duper Ultimate MiG-27 upgrade.

 

[Dr. Saptarishi Chatterjee]

This is the result of Mismanagement of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India Project. Now we have to use these junks till 2026. But the funny part is that out of the 40 Mig 21 only 18 to 21 are functional as others have already been retired this year. I don't know whether the IAF got them back from scrapyard so as to fly them again. This is India using scrap metal to protect itself. there was plenty of time since 2014 to get good number of Rafales by now, if 114 deal was signed. Now the Rafale is the sole protector and modern aircraft India has @ 36. Rest all are either 24 to 40 years old- Mirage 2000 -1985, Mig 29- 1982, Jaguar 1977, Suk 30- 1996-2000. So What did the Govt do till now for Tejas----Thats a million dollar question....when you couldn't even build an engine then the only thing the HAL did is everything else....Now US has got the programme hanging by delaying GE F404 engines...

Small conflict would result in the catastrophic change in Indian geopolitics and Unlike Kargil we have to do emergency purchase of defense equipments.....

I think thats how we Indian Say "Laato ke bhoot bato se nahi mante"... I hope that time doesnt come and cross my fingers till 2030 when we get some good aircrafts...I think IAF chief also said "we will fight with whatever we have".

 

[kurtwallis wallis]

OMG!! Then at least very fast purchases of Qatar Mirage2000 jets soon please MoD Sirs!!

 

[Kush]

Tejas MK1A delays Courtesy GE-404 Engine delay. point to b noted have prevented HAL from meeting its production targets. Ha Ha HA ha HA

Americans want india to buy f16 for MRFA tender that's why they deliberately delayed engines they are also pressuring government for same

 

[Chinese eater]

This delay was foresight by anyone who knows how America works. Delay, sanction, and arm twist.

Clearly delay in Tejas M1A is due to America politics of delaying GE engines. And how conveniently Dallas are blaming HAL.

America is not going to allow India to have GE tot for engines. They will just negotiate, offer and then delay and arm twist to follow their lines.

if India goes with Rafale in MRFA which is imminent, America will cancel the deal for GE engines.

 

[Vijigishu ( विजिग्शु )]

This delay was foresight by anyone who knows how America works. Delay, sanction, and arm twist.

Clearly delay in Tejas M1A is due to America politics of delaying GE engines. And how conveniently Dallas are blaming HAL.

America is not going to allow India to have GE tot for engines. They will just negotiate, offer and then delay and arm twist to follow their lines.

if India goes with Rafale in MRFA which is imminent, America will cancel the deal for GE engines.

HAL still has 18-20 F404 engines. Who is stopping them from making jets? They can work for 2 years without any issue but everyone is behaving as if they are just waiting for engines to arrive, everything else being just ready to get integrated.

 

[Man-ju]

Everyone is building an image as if Engine delay by GE is the real reason for all problems. Nobody isn't even asking why HAL hasn't delivered MK1a that are already made and tested, atleast try to upgrade already delivered MK1 to MK1a standards, Why all the MK1 twin seat variants not delivered yet?

 

[Anant]

This delay was foresight by anyone who knows how America works. Delay, sanction, and arm twist.

Clearly delay in Tejas M1A is due to America politics of delaying GE engines. And how conveniently Dallas are blaming HAL.

America is not going to allow India to have GE tot for engines. They will just negotiate, offer and then delay and arm twist to follow their lines.

if India goes with Rafale in MRFA which is imminent, America will cancel the deal for GE engines.

Yes, I am sure GE and the Americans are also responsible for delays in Tejas deliveries which will use engines already in India.

Any other such wonderful and nonsensical conspiracy theory?

 

[Pratimesh Singh]

The repeated delays in phasing out the MiG-21s are concerning. The initial plan was to retire them by 2020, and now it's been pushed to 2025. This raises questions about the competence of both HAL and the government. Can we really expect to counter China's air power with these outdated "flying coffins"?

 

[Pratimesh Singh]

OMG!! Then at least very fast purchases of Qatar Mirage2000 jets soon please MoD Sirs!!

They started to buy 21 mig 29s in 2021 i remember that's over now. The IAF and MoD only makes plans. No induction. If they get opportunity they will even buy Jaguars from other nations lol

 

[Pratimesh Singh]

Some people are saying Tejas delivery is slow because of GE engine delay. Lol every HAL project is delayed. Same with LCH usme they don't need GE engines what about LUH.

 

[Sandeep]

The repeated delays in phasing out the MiG-21s are concerning. The initial plan was to retire them by 2020, and now it's been pushed to 2025. This raises questions about the competence of both HAL and the government. Can we really expect to counter China's air power with these outdated "flying coffins"?

Well it’s true that we downed a more advanced jet with superior capabilities from a 60 year old jet.

Also how is it the government fault when they placed a large 200 Tejas MK1A order but HAL, general engine, and the private sector companies failed to deliver the jets on time? HAL is the only company that has the capability, technology, money, financial stability and facilities as no private company has the same requirements to manufacture the entire planes rather than just supplying parts and components like they currently do.

 

[Pratimesh Singh]

Well it’s true that we downed a more advanced jet with superior capabilities from a 60 year old jet.

Also how is it the government fault when they placed a large 200 Tejas MK1A order but HAL, general engine, and the private sector companies failed to deliver the jets on time? HAL is the only company that has the capability, technology, money, financial stability and facilities as no private company has the same requirements to manufacture the entire planes rather than just supplying parts and components like they currently do.

First of all I don't belive that narrative (allegedly shot down) and government fault because what have they done to improve that. In 2014 we had around 4-6 ioc Tejas we are currently at 32 or near. In 10 year 30-35 aircraft it's shameful. And they should have sped up the MMRCA process. Which they have stalled and HAL and all companies do what the government wants to do. They are government owned companies

 

[Sandeep]

India currently has no option but to delay retiring them and just use them as a last resort only. They should also use their trainers on the front line which can reinforce the existing Mig 21 squadron on our front line. If that’s not possible then we should deploy the Mig 29, jaguar, mirage and tejas to help them. We can also buy used jets but in good condition jets temporarily until we start receiving our jets from HAL and maybe in the future from private companies.

 

[Sandeep]

First of all I don't belive that narrative (allegedly shot down) and government fault because what have they done to improve that. In 2014 we had around 4-6 ioc Tejas we are currently at 32 or near. In 10 year 30-35 aircraft it's shameful. And they should have sped up the MMRCA process. Which they have stalled and HAL and all companies do what the government wants to do. They are government owned companies

If you don’t believe that we shot down their jet then you’re delusional. Evidence was provided and the whole world knew it was true including the USA and Europe otherwise why would Pakistan be so angry and want to attack us if we didn’t even kill their jet? Why was there a clear shortage of jets in one of its squadron.

Also HAL didn’t receive any large jet orders until recently when we started to place small orders at a time from initial operational clearance to final operational clearances and were ordered in batches with the maximum capacity of 8 jets per year although they never managed to achieve that. Recently we will get the private detective as well as he’s a fake cop.

 

[Akshat]

Well it’s true that we downed a more advanced jet with superior capabilities from a 60 year old jet.

Also how is it the government fault when they placed a large 200 Tejas MK1A order but HAL, general engine, and the private sector companies failed to deliver the jets on time? HAL is the only company that has the capability, technology, money, financial stability and facilities as no private company has the same requirements to manufacture the entire planes rather than just supplying parts and components like they currently do.

HAL has the capability? 🤣🤣🤣 We are yet to even get the trainers for which engines have been delivered. As for financial stability, GoI gives all the money. Many bigger companies exist as well. So that is not a big deal. Coming to technology, it is given by ADA. It's just facilities which are missing, which can be developed when money is available.

 

[sanket]

Americans want india to buy f16 for MRFA tender that's why they deliberately delayed engines they are also pressuring government for same

whatever u call Geopolitical or Arm twisting Bharat will not bend the pressure which ever Fighter jets meets the MRFA Requirements will b winner , US tring to sell the Either one of its Fighter jets out 3 , It will b negative impact & reputation of its Jets Future sale if it lost on Tech parameters

 

[Sandeep]

HAL has the capability? 🤣🤣🤣 We are yet to even get the trainers for which engines have been delivered. As for financial stability, GoI gives all the money. Many bigger companies exist as well. So that is not a big deal. Coming to technology, it is given by ADA. It's just facilities which are missing, which can be developed when money is available.

It has the capability but its delays in manufacturing are the problem. As I said HAL has financial stability because it’s owned by the government. Also there are big private companies that manufacture parts, components, equipment and technology but they have never manufactured an entire jet by themselves and they have mainly just supplied parts.