TEDBF Program: Indian Navy's Modernization Drive Advances Despite Delays

The Indian Navy's pursuit of a modern, indigenous carrier-borne fighter jet is advancing with the development of the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF).

Spearheaded by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the TEDBF aims to replace the aging MiG-29K fleet currently serving on the aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.

Critical Design Review and Timeline Adjustments​

The ADA is making strides towards completing the Critical Design Review (CDR) for all TEDBF systems by early 2025.

The CDR marks a pivotal phase, ensuring that all systems meet the Indian Navy's stringent performance requirements and are ready for seamless integration.

Following an initial evaluation of two design proposals, the Indian Navy has selected a preferred design that ADA will refine for the CDR process.

Once the CDR is successfully completed, the TEDBF program will receive final approval from the Indian Navy and proceed to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for funding clearance.

After CCS authorization, the timeline anticipates the TEDBF's first rollout within four years, with the jet entering service by 2034. Although the original goal aimed for a first flight by 2026, it appears likely to be revised to late 2029 or the early 2030s.

Procurement Plans and Engine Development​

The Indian Navy plans to procure the TEDBF in two batches of 45 units each.

While initial prototypes will likely employ GE-F414 engines, the production version, especially the second batch, could feature a more powerful 110kN engine currently under development for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Mk-II program.

To support the ambitious TEDBF project, the ADA is seeking approximately ₹13,000 crores in funding. This substantial investment highlights the importance of this program to bolster the Indian Navy's maritime security capabilities.

Significance of the TEDBF​

The TEDBF program represents a critical step in enhancing the Indian Navy's operational readiness and self-reliance. It will address the urgent need to replace the aging MiG-29K jets.

A successful outcome will provide the Indian Navy with a modern and capable carrier-based fighter jet developed within the country.

This achievement will not only increase India's naval prowess but will also be a testament to its growing technological maturity in the defence sector.

 

[Pink Panther]

Just waiting for that day, hope it happens in the next decade or so at-least.

 

[Laughing Buddha]

Timelines are not very encouraging.

 

[Mango_Indian]

Wait for it. The delay “bomb” citing reasons like no funds, no manpower, no water or traffic jam at chowringhee is coming.

Don’t hold your breath

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

Wait for it. The delay “bomb” citing reasons like no funds, no manpower, no water or traffic jam at chowringhee is coming.

Don’t hold your breath

Not to forget Covid-19.

 

[sanket]

with Limited order 13000 cr funds is very High, Instead a common platform shoul have been developed for Airforce & Navy Based on AMCA.13000CR+15000CR=28000cr

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

Right from when this project was approved, it was painfully apparent that it was not inducted time before 2037, now its safe to say with first flight delayed for 2029-30, production deliveries would take 2041.However by that time the avionics architecture would be outdated by more than 5 generations.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

TED-BF should have been the natural progression for ADA/HAL from Tejas Mk-1A and before AMCA MK-1.
Something tells me, AMCA Mk-1 isn't going to be a massive upgrade over a non-naval version of TED-BF (ORCA maybe).
The honor for a true blue 5th Gen aircraft would be AMCA Mk-2.
With that, I don't know where Tejas Mk-2 would fit in.
Honestly speaking, I think the time for single-engined Tejas-Mk2 had come and gone.

After, Tejas, ADA/HAL should have shifted gear to twin-engined aircrafts based on GE F-414 engines.

 

[sanket]

Just waiting for that day, hope it happens in the next decade or so at-least.

26 Marine Rafale deal is likely t b signed by after election so there is not immidiate Req .and Third AC is not in Drawing board too.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

Right from when this project was approved, it was painfully apparent that it was not inducted time before 2037, now its safe to say with first flight delayed for 2029-30, production deliveries would take 2041.However by that time the avionics architecture would be outdated by more than 5 generations.

I believe, ADA/HAL should skip Tejas Mk-2 and jump stright to TED-BF/ORCA. We are late to Tejas MK-2 and skipping it altogather will save time and money which can be directed to a more modern platform which potentially will also last longer in service than Tejas Mk-2.

Just my 2 paise.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

26 Marine Rafale deal is likely t b signed by after election so there is not immidiate Req .and Third AC is not in Drawing board too.

26 Rafale will be enought?

 

[sanket]

After, Tejas, ADA/HAL should have shifted gear to twin-engined aircrafts based on GE F-414 engines.

Single Engine are cheaper Than Twin , for Twin Engine IAF is going for MRFA...............................No need of ORCA.

 

[sanket]

26 Rafale will be enought?

Its stop gap arrangements Bhai.Availibility Rate may 75% , which very High in recent article on this forum F-35 Marine was having only 15.5%. Rafale can perform 5 sortie a day.

 

[Ashutosh]

TED-BF should have been the natural progression for ADA/HAL from Tejas Mk-1A and before AMCA MK-1.
Something tells me, AMCA Mk-1 isn't going to be a massive upgrade over a non-naval version of TED-BF (ORCA maybe).
The honor for a true blue 5th Gen aircraft would be AMCA Mk-2.
With that, I don't know where Tejas Mk-2 would fit in.
Honestly speaking, I think the time for single-engined Tejas-Mk2 had come and gone.

After, Tejas, ADA/HAL should have shifted gear to twin-engined aircrafts based on GE F-414 engines.

Bro Tejas mk2 is a single engine ORCA, it can fitin every role and perform every task reqd.

Also being single engine makes it cost effective.
Again, it's not late too after all F16 would be here for 2060+

 

[Ashutosh]

26 Rafale will be enought?

Never, itna to internal bhi bhar nhi payege deck ke upar to almost a squadron rakh sakte hai.

Just to get Vikrant operational

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

I believe, ADA/HAL should skip Tejas Mk-2 and jump stright to TED-BF/ORCA. We are late to Tejas MK-2 and skipping it altogather will save time and money which can be directed to a more modern platform which potentially will also last longer in service than Tejas Mk-2.

Just my 2 paise.

Its now actually a straight fight between Tejas MK2 and TEDBF for prioritizing production, as its timelines are again screwed due to our PSU. I fear they will drop TEDBF instead of Teas MK2 in priority as TEDBF will have an exteremely limited production volume, making them absurdly expensive for both IN and HAL to produce.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

Its stop gap arrangements Bhai.Availibility Rate may 75% , which very High in recent article on this forum F-35 Marine was having only 15.5%. Rafale can perform 5 sortie a day.

Even for stop gap, does 26 sound enough?

When India acquired INS Vikramaditya, it ordered a fleet of 45 Mig-29 K to go with it, accounting for availability in case of attrition and maintenance.

How will they make do with just 26 Rafales for INS Vikrant.

 

[Ashutosh]

I believe, ADA/HAL should skip Tejas Mk-2 and jump stright to TED-BF/ORCA. We are late to Tejas MK-2 and skipping it altogather will save time and money which can be directed to a more modern platform which potentially will also last longer in service than Tejas Mk-2.

Just my 2 paise.

Tejas mk2 is optimised for Airforce, after MRFA with operational Su 30s serving till 2055 + AMCA ( mk1 and mk2) twin engine fighters would be too much

Tejas mk2 can serve as backbone just like F16- cost effective yet lethal

 

[sanket]

Even for stop gap, does 26 sound enough?

When India acquired INS Vikramaditya, it ordered a fleet of 45 Mig-29 K to go with it, accounting for availability in case of attrition and maintenance.

How will they make do with just 26 Rafales for INS Vikrant.

Actually India is going 26+114 =140 Rafale bcoz they want some Tech & consultant for AMCA & TEDBF. SoTEDBF may b Inducted over 100 . if Rafale Marine were brought in Excess of 50 . There was less chance to go with Indigenous Naval Fighter project.

 

[Ashutosh]

Even for stop gap, does 26 sound enough?

When India acquired INS Vikramaditya, it ordered a fleet of 45 Mig-29 K to go with it, accounting for availability in case of attrition and maintenance.

How will they make do with just 26 Rafales for INS Vikrant.

So that Vikrant would be atleast operational, abhi Vikramaditya ke lie Mig 29 kaafi nhi hai, usme bhi ab dono carriers ko share karna padh rha hai to dono carriers effectively ek sath operational nhi hai

 

[NSR]

India should have gone with just one 5th generation fighter with two variants, AMCA-IAF and AMCA-IN with at least about 80% commonality like Rafale and Rafale-M does.

Too many programs and too much resources, and too many human resources allocation will lead to too many failures for sure.
USA utilizes F/A-18 for USNavy and USAirForce/Marines, and National guards of states.

Too unwieldy to proceed with so many programs at the same time.

 

[Satya Dev]

I think we should shelve the TEDBF project so as to concentrate only on TejasMk2 & AMCA and develop deck based AMCA as a supplementary parallelly since the requirement for deck based fighters will be 50max.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

Single Engine are cheaper Than Twin , for Twin Engine IAF is going for MRFA...............................No need of ORCA.

MRFA? That Birbal's khichdii?
Who knows when that deal will ripen.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

Tejas mk2 is optimised for Airforce, after MRFA with operational Su 30s serving till 2055 + AMCA ( mk1 and mk2) twin engine fighters would be too much

Tejas mk2 can serve as backbone just like F16- cost effective yet lethal

I wouldn't even consider MRFA until it actually happens.

 

[Anant]

90 aircraft may not be sufficient. Vikramaditya and Vikrant can each hold 26 aircraft apiece, and this number can be increased to 30 if need be. Now, IAC-II, even if it were a copy of Vikrant, that is another 22-26 aircraft (removing aircraft for drones). That adds up to some 78-90 aircraft.

It doesn't end there, however. IAC-III is expected to be 65,000-75,000 tons, and so she may be capable of carrying 32-36 fighters. Since she replaces Vikramaditya, the number now goes up to 84-96 aircraft.

That said, you would also need attrition replacements, aircraft for shore stations, etc. All in all, a production run of some 120 aircraft would be far more sensible.

That said, however, the numbers above will not hold if the Navy decides to retain one carrier wing with Rafale Ms exclusively even after the TEDBF enters service. Not sure how sensible it would be to have two carriers flying the TEDBF and one carrier flying the Rafale M, however. It would make far more sense for the Navy to then relegate the Rafales to shore stations.

If the Navy were relegating the Rafale Ms to shore stations once the TEDBF was produced in sufficient numbers you'd need a production run of 120 or so aircraft, at the least. If this relegation was not being done, you'd need about 100 aircraft. Either way, 90 is too few.

 

[Anant]

I think we should shelve the TEDBF project so as to concentrate only on TejasMk2 & AMCA and develop deck based AMCA as a supplementary parallelly since the requirement for deck based fighters will be 50max.

Not quite. It has already been found that navalising AMCA won't give a particularly good fighter.

As for numbers, if you include the Rafale M in one air wing, you'd need about 100 or so TEDBFs, and if you excluded them, you'd need atleast 120 TEDBFs. That is a fairly good production number.

 

[Itachi]

Why not 4.5 genaration version amca like Koreans did with there kf21 ... Usa did same thing with there f35 expact both iaf and navy version are 5th gen .. why indian navy have to choose brand new design?
Look like new scam just like few navy officers did in 2011 (russia) ..

 

[Ashutosh]

I wouldn't even consider MRFA until it actually happens.

Well then let MRFA be replaced by ORCA but ek single engine ORCA hona bahut jaruri hai
F16 aur J10 dono backbone hai.
Apne pas iss class ka kuch hona jaruri hai

 

[Anant]

India should have gone with just one 5th generation fighter with two variants, AMCA-IAF and AMCA-IN with at least about 80% commonality like Rafale and Rafale-M does.

Too many programs and too much resources, and too many human resources allocation will lead to too many failures for sure.
USA utilizes F/A-18 for USNavy and USAirForce/Marines, and National guards of states.

Too unwieldy to proceed with so many programs at the same time.

Boss, wasn't it found some time back that navalising AMCA would not be particularly effective?

 

[Anant]

Actually India is going 26+114 =140 Rafale bcoz they want some Tech & consultant for AMCA & TEDBF. SoTEDBF may b Inducted over 100 . if Rafale Marine were brought in Excess of 50 . There was less chance to go with Indigenous Naval Fighter project.

Let them finalise MRFA first.