India's AMCA Reveals World's First Internal Fuel Tank Design in Weapons Bay, Boosting Its Strategic Advantage over Regional Adversaries

A recently surfaced video has offered a potential first look at a groundbreaking design feature of India's future fifth-generation fighter, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

The visuals suggest the aircraft will have the unique ability to carry specially designed Internal Fuel Tanks (IFTs) inside its Internal Weapons Bay (IWB), a capability that would provide a significant strategic edge over other advanced combat jets in the region.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

This innovative feature, a first for any stealth fighter globally, allows the AMCA to maintain its low-detectability profile while significantly extending its operational range.

Developed by India's Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the AMCA project aims to equip the Indian Air Force with a state-of-the-art, multirole combat aircraft.

The design showcased reveals a highly flexible modular system. The AMCA’s weapons bay can be configured in two primary ways depending on mission needs.

For combat missions requiring a balance of range and firepower, the aircraft can be equipped with one fuel tank while still carrying two air-to-air missiles, such as the indigenous Astra Mk-II or Mk-III, in the other half of the bay.

This allows the AMCA to perform deep-penetration strikes or conduct long-duration air patrols over contested airspace without compromising its stealth characteristics.

For non-combat roles, such as repositioning the aircraft across long distances or for extended ferry flights, the entire weapons bay can be fitted with two internal fuel tanks.

This configuration maximises the aircraft's flight endurance without the need for external fuel tanks, which are commonly used by other fighters.

This flexibility is crucial for India, enabling rapid deployment of the AMCA across the country's vast and diverse theatres of operation, from the high-altitude Himalayas to the expansive Indian Ocean Region.

This internal fuel carriage solution represents a significant technological leap.

Currently, other fifth-generation stealth fighters, including the American F-35 and F-22 Raptor or China's J-20, rely on external "drop tanks" to fly longer missions.

However, these external tanks drastically increase an aircraft's radar cross-section, making it far more visible to enemy radar and effectively negating its primary advantage of stealth. The AMCA's internal system cleverly resolves this trade-off between range and stealth.

While official confirmation from the DRDO is awaited, the visuals strongly suggest that India’s indigenous defence programme is integrating advanced features that align with the Indian Air Force's doctrine of maintaining a long-range, deep-strike capability.

As the AMCA programme moves closer to its prototype phase, this development highlights India's growing ambition to produce cutting-edge military technology tailored to its specific national security requirements.

 

[Mc Addy]

Yes , range extender, so from start of mission till end nothing on radar as even on takeoff .AWACS like with USA can see 1600 km and of course all Runways are always under surveillance anyday by USA , world over, it only gives coordinate to Ukraine and fires at Russia with devastating always ,so we need to get smarter now, make these tanks of carbon fiber , somehow STOL capabilities like Gripen with reverse thrust is possible if possible on this plane ,then it becomes good as then even highways or ships can be used .Large container ships have been used as temporary mid sea runways many times . War ,means all options on table and USA is squaring off with us instead of Russia directly,be assured,this trade war is just a trailor so time to sink ships ,US ships as wolf has come for dinner, how long it will wait ,maybe 1 year, then it will attack as Russia is in no hurry to invade Ukraine at all , so unlimited headache is on.USA is going to fight with us .

 

[priyanshu3657]

This means that INDIAN NAVY can use it in this way🤷

 

[thyhandsonus]

Yes , range extender, so from start of mission till end nothing on radar as even on takeoff .AWACS like with USA can see 1600 km and of course all Runways are always under surveillance anyday by USA , world over, it only gives coordinate to Ukraine and fires at Russia with devastating always ,so we need to get smarter now, make these tanks of carbon fiber , somehow STOL capabilities like Gripen with reverse thrust is possible if possible on this plane ,then it becomes good as then even highways or ships can be used .Large container ships have been used as temporary mid sea runways many times . War ,means all options on table and USA is squaring off with us instead of Russia directly,be assured,this trade war is just a trailor so time to sink ships ,US ships as wolf has come for dinner, how long it will wait ,maybe 1 year, then it will attack as Russia is in no hurry to invade Ukraine at all , so unlimited headache is on.USA is going to fight with us .

Wow..... I don't know if you’d read it or not but you've certainly written a good fanfiction of the US going to war with us. Anyway, did you really think that the countries with Stealth fighters have not thought of this design and dismissed it as stupid? Internal fuel tank in the weapons bay means lesser weapons to carry. So AMCA should fire a few missiles and run away,lol. Especially when it's an underground bunker.

 

[Mc Addy]

Wow..... I don't know if you’d read it or not but you've certainly written a good fanfiction of the US going to war with us. Anyway, did you really think that the countries with Stealth fighters have not thought of this design and dismissed it as stupid? Internal fuel tank in the weapons bay means lesser weapons to carry. So AMCA should fire a few missiles and run away,lol. Especially when it's an underground bunker.

I am sure US will attack us in 1 years time, the way Trumph evoked 1950s act , that has shape of 50% Terriffs at present, is a law reserved in extreme circumstances, as a stop gap measure , agaist it's enemies or emerging enemies.Its no fiction, all know how powerful people do work.money first, muscle later, see Peter Navvaros post .

 

[Foxbat]

I just cannot understand why Indian defence industries have to publicise to the world especially the chinese about this brilliant technology created by ADA in detailed format? The chinese or any western countries have they announced detailed information on their new technologies incorporated into their 5th or 6th generation fighters. Indian engineers with new discoveries in technologies in any field for the matter should be discreet until the final product is tried and tested. Besides that the new technologies should only be announced when it's ready for showcase during air shows to convince foreign buyers. That would give our product a special attention and interest. I live in a country with the chinese but they will never ever share any knowledge whether as a colleagues or neighbours they are so secretive culture people.

 

[Mc Addy]

Wow..... I don't know if you’d read it or not but you've certainly written a good fanfiction of the US going to war with us. Anyway, did you really think that the countries with Stealth fighters have not thought of this design and dismissed it as stupid? Internal fuel tank in the weapons bay means lesser weapons to carry. So AMCA should fire a few missiles and run away,lol. Especially when it's an underground bunker.

I will tell you tell tail signs of how US will attack us , 1.we hit it's poodle Pakistan,that destroyed USSR , it has manpower and desire to fight with India anytime.

2. Pakistani COAS Asim Munir got invited to white House for what ? This only and how Trumph showed he was serious ,to Munir , by slapping the biggest Tariffs, reserved for hostile nations to USA

3. Why Terriffs ? As USA bleeds billions in Ukraine and its allies and itself are bleeding money and men rapidly . Who supports all this ? India and China .

So USA has had enough, Pakistan had enough so ,USA will attack from Sea and rest Via Land , don't forget Bangladesh, who is itching for some North East action.
My serious suggestion would be to move critical assets to safety location, get some hypersonic antiship missile like Zircon all along the coast , so 1000km is secure and by the way , prey to God and call us too ,the citizens who live on this land to fight , multiple front war, from sea, to mountain,to Jungle.Trumph will attack us anyhow.

 

[Satish]

While this is not technological leap by any mean but definitely a strong design. In the interest of national security, I am expecting journalist not to leak such important design or features, UNLESS Defense Ministry or DRDO/HAL makes it public. Probably this website does not know how such leaks are the best weapons an enemy wants instead of physical ones.

During 26/11, media ensured a continued live feed to Pakistan, ensuring a wide and devasting attack that otherwise could have been significantly reduced.

But hey, this is immature Indian media only comparable to Pakistan. Never matures.

 

[Gajanan Hirde]

I am sure US will attack us in 1 years time, the way Trumph evoked 1950s act , that has shape of 50% Terriffs at present, is a law reserved in extreme circumstances, as a stop gap measure , agaist it's enemies or emerging enemies.Its no fiction, all know how powerful people do work.money first, muscle later, see Peter Navvaros post .

US will never axe its feet

 

[FROST]

Yes , range extender, so from start of mission till end nothing on radar as even on takeoff .AWACS like with USA can see 1600 km and of course all Runways are always under surveillance anyday by USA , world over, it only gives coordinate to Ukraine and fires at Russia with devastating always ,so we need to get smarter now, make these tanks of carbon fiber , somehow STOL capabilities like Gripen with reverse thrust is possible if possible on this plane ,then it becomes good as then even highways or ships can be used .Large container ships have been used as temporary mid sea runways many times . War ,means all options on table and USA is squaring off with us instead of Russia directly,be assured,this trade war is just a trailor so time to sink ships ,US ships as wolf has come for dinner, how long it will wait ,maybe 1 year, then it will attack as Russia is in no hurry to invade Ukraine at all , so unlimited headache is on.USA is going to fight with us .

Are you writing from America? Why should they fight with us.? Trade? Yes ofcourse. Let them do it. Our economy will as usual wither the fight

 

[FROST]

With two fuel tanks added in the weapons bay the craft will move with the speed o vandhe Bharat not a jet

 

[Mc Addy]

US will never axe its feet

We are not feet of anyone here but our own self

Are you writing from America? Why should they fight with us.? Trade? Yes ofcourse. Let them do it. Our economy will as usual wither the fight

Who's doing what is non of your concern , we write opinion on self assessment and I have till now not gone wrong on any aspect . Check my posts from long time, non at all has gone wrong , so my assessment is war with USA is most likely as we are now , not in any favour with current US Administration.

 

[Mc Addy]

Are you writing from America? Why should they fight with us.? Trade? Yes ofcourse. Let them do it. Our economy will as usual wither the fight

You are simply scared of USA.

 

[starkdefences]

It would be one of the variants which will have internal fuel tank which will be for surveillance only. 5th gen stealth jets are primarily for known being unnoticed. There will be different variants for different use cases.

Wow..... I don't know if you’d read it or not but you've certainly written a good fanfiction of the US going to war with us. Anyway, did you really think that the countries with Stealth fighters have not thought of this design and dismissed it as stupid? Internal fuel tank in the weapons bay means lesser weapons to carry. So AMCA should fire a few missiles and run away,lol. Especially when it's an underground bunker.