Tejas Mk-1A Deliveries May Further Delayed Due to Danish Export Ban on Engine Charge Amplifier, HAL Turns to Local Solution

The delivery of the Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets to the Indian Air Force is facing yet another setback, this time due to an export ban imposed by Denmark on a critical component, the engine charge amplifier. This delay compounds the existing hold-up caused by the non-delivery of engines by General Electric and necessary software iterations.

While the Ministry of Defence is actively engaging with Denmark to resolve the export ban, HAL has taken proactive measures by contracting a local firm to develop an indigenous alternative.

Sources indicate that while these amplifiers are present in the older Tejas models, their unavailability is hindering the fulfillment of the contract for the 83 LCA Mk-1As.

The Danish export restrictions are believed to be linked to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, further complicating the matter.

Despite this, HAL is optimistic about completing the indigenization process swiftly. Sources indicate that the Bengaluru-based firm has nearly finished developing the component, and HAL will soon conduct rigorous tests before proceeding to mass production.

In the interim, HAL aims to deliver an initial batch of aircraft equipped with some charge amplifiers acquired under a previous contract. While the engine charge amplifier is a relatively small component, its role in measuring and regulating engine temperature is crucial.

There's cautious optimism that the Danish government may reconsider the export ban or that the indigenization and testing process of amplifier will be expedited.

This latest setback adds to the existing delays in the Tejas Mk-1A program. Sources highlight that even if GE had delivered the engines on time, the aircraft delivery would still have been delayed due to other pending issues like Israeli software installation and this charge amplifier shortage.

Despite these challenges, HAL remains hopeful that the first Tejas Mk-1A can be delivered by the end of October or November, albeit significantly later than the original March deadline.

 

[Blademaster]

Time to tell the Danes to fvck off and they can kiss their business goodbye in any future dealings with India.

 

[sanket]

Nice approach By HAL with Localisation / Indigenous way, But why suddenly Denmark Ban export of Engine charge Amplifier

 

[kurtwallis wallis]

100% hand built desi Tejas with 65% of foreign imported parts, will never sustain for IAF fleets ever. Just go with Sukhoi-HAL SU75 jv now as ALL western nations will start sanctioning India one by one next for support to Russia....

 

[Nishant]

I say thanks to Denmark for the ban, at least it will now help for the indigenization of the component, otherwise we would have faced this issue when we would have needed it most...i.e., during war time.
Work hard during the peace time to prepare for the worst.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Why such small components are not made in India?. Only when crises arises you look for indigenous development. High time HAL lists out all the imported subsystems with their specifications and testing criteria. And floats this list with Indian companies and academia for development and production. Assure them orders when they pass all the required tests.

 

[Rinku Pandey]

What? Now there is Denmark part also? Is there anything Indian in Tejas? GOI should put pressure on Denmark. It is a small country and won't be able to sustain pressure from Bharat.

 

[Nishant]

100% hand built desi Tejas with 65% of foreign imported parts, will never sustain for IAF fleets ever. Just go with Sukhoi-HAL SU75 jv now as ALL western nations will start sanctioning India one by one next for support to Russia....

These western countries are the back stabbers.. they want India to ban Russian imports giving us lollipops.
Nothing to laugh... its just a matter of few more years until these western nations can bully us like this.

 

[Nishant]

Can someone list out the components still not indigenized?? I know about engine, radome, aesa radar, gun system...what else?

 

[Dredd]

I say thanks to Denmark for the ban, at least it will now help for the indigenization of the component, otherwise we would have faced this issue when we would have needed it most...i.e., during war time.
Work hard during the peace time to prepare for the worst.

This look like a blanket ban as these equipment goes into missile and drones which can be routed to Russia . Indian govt should get it resolved.

 

[Anant]

Any news of this ban would have been given to HAL and other stakeholders some time back, or said ban, if announced today, would probably only take hold after a while.

Makes you think why HAL has not taken any action yet, and if they did, why Tejas deliveries would be delayed. In the first case, an indigenous alternative would be almost ready, whereas in the latter, we would have supplies of the component while we indigenise it.

 

[desigandu]

Question is - why was this and other foreign parts not anticipated and planned to be indigenized...100% atmanirbharta in any critical item must be our goal.

 

[Praveen]

What? Now there is Denmark part also? Is there anything Indian in Tejas? GOI should put pressure on Denmark. It is a small country and won't be able to sustain pressure from Bharat.

Bro Denmark even if it is small should not be underestimated, it houses one of the lifeline company -ASML the photolithography machine manufacturer. Well in simple terms it houses the maker of chip manufacturing machine.

They are the makers of these machines other than Japan and China. Only because china has reverse engineered these machines even though it's a old one , US sanctions are not working for them.

 

[kumar]

Why is this attitude by western countries towards us. These countries are always creating one or the other problem to us.

 

[Sir Capt]

Many of these old school colonial powers want to implement their power over developed nations because they've lost control. These losers should be thanking India for its business. Eff Denmark!

 

[Nishant]

This look like a blanket ban as these equipment goes into missile and drones which can be routed to Russia . Indian govt should get it resolved.

Do you really think that Russia doesn't create this component by themselves and is dependent on Denmark??

 

[Dredd]

Do you really think that Russia doesn't create this component by themselves and is dependent on Denmark??

yup.. Russian drones captured in ukraine have lot of parts from europe/japa/india, these were imported as a dual use case.

 

[Bhupesh Desai]

India is developing but dependent on too many countries; start making most of the things your self or you allays will depend on some one and never able to do things what you need to complete.

 

[ASHOK CARROL]

Poor foresight as Indian firms if delegated could have easily manufactured the item as specifications are known .All LRUS items of foreign origin used must be indegonised within a firm planned date .

 

[neil]

If we were serious about indigenization, and we knew that this part was being imported, and we knew that it was not that difficult to manufacture locally.....THEN What Were We Doing Till Now?