Tejas Mk1A Debut Slightly Delayed, March '24 Delivery Still Expected

India's much-anticipated upgraded Tejas Mk1A fighter jet, a pivotal step in the country's self-reliance in defence technology, has experienced a slight delay in its maiden flight.

According to defence journalist Anantha Krishnan M., the initial internal deadline set by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for this month will likely not be reached.

Delayed Debut, But Still On Track​

While the Tejas Mk1A's first flight is now expected in mid-March, there is some positive news. Sources suggest that the inaugural flight could be witnessed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, potentially even remotely.

This delay follows HAL's earlier commitment to deliver the first two Tejas Mk1A aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF) by March 2024. In fact, HAL Chairman C.B. Ananthakrishnan had expressed optimism about potentially completing the delivery as early as February.

Reasons for the Delay​

HAL officials have acknowledged the delay while emphasizing its minor nature. The primary cause lies in the integration of a new and improved digital fly-by-wire flight control computer (DFCC) into the Tejas Mk1A.

Testing this vital system on existing LCA Tejas aircraft has taken more time than initially projected, which consequently affects subsequent taxi trial schedules.

HAL Confident in Meeting March-End Deadline​

Despite the initial setback, HAL remains confident in meeting the March 2024 deadline for the delivery of the first two Mk1A aircraft. The company expects to make further deliveries throughout the year, aiming to have the entire Tejas Mk1A squadron fully operational by 2028.

The Tejas Mk1A: A Significant Upgrade​

The Tejas Mk1A represents a major step forward for the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program. It boasts several enhancements over its predecessors, including:

• A more powerful active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar
• Improved electronic warfare capabilities
• Increased payload capacity
• Onboard oxygen generation system (OBOGS)
• Maintainability improvements

These upgrades promise to significantly enhance the Tejas's combat capabilities, strengthening the Indian Air Force's fleet.

 

[Anurag]

Got orders for production line 2003, for 20 LCA IOC in 2006, for 20 LCA FOC in 2010

Cost of LCA IOC doubled, time taken 18 yrs

It happens when lack of orders are given in initial batch & when you just want to save the production cost not to go high so to save the cost plane are delivered on slow rates! As you said the things here see first order was given in 2006 & second order was in 2010 then order comes 2021, from the starting point IAF was not so sure about the capabilities of Tejas, but things are now changing they are putting faith in Tejas

Cost of LCA ioc doubled because of few things first inflation & second more quality & composite material.

P.S. - I am not a fan of HAL(DPSU)

 

[Anurag]

Knowing HAL's performance this isn't a news at all. Again HAL compromising Bharat's security.

If HAL Is responsible for these things so is Mod & IAF (Everyone is responsible)
It is easy to blame one but don't you think every person is responsible for this.
Just be like this Gov waited for Spv model(Amca) for private sector to join (private sector wants commitment from the IAF & MoD) & what happened next they have to turn it back to Hal so delay in (Amca) is responsibility of everyone!

 

[Anurag]

Let me correct that for you:-
Again MOD compromising Nations security by not reorganisingprivatizing DPSUs

Upcoming days Tejas will be assembled by hal most of the parts will be produced by private sector as a few parts will be delivered by dpsu but majority goes back to private sector... But from the front private sector wants to play safe & for now only want in LRU.

 

[Anurag]

As the reason of delay is not mentioned here their were reports that delay was caused by the miscommunication between the design & production team (this status poor work culture of DPSU)
But still it is not delayed as hal is expecting to deliver early
As PM himself is going to watch it personally or virtually this so the date will be decided when everyone is ready for the things to happen

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

Upcoming days Tejas will be assembled by hal most of the parts will be produced by private sector as a few parts will be delivered by dpsu but majority goes back to private sector... But from the front private sector wants to play safe & for now only want in LRU.

If you had your money on the line, would you gladly pick up xontracts where

• You would have to bid unrealistically low to win the contract in first place.
• If you by some freak luck are super fortunate to have been blessed with a super slow PSU which doesn't sabotage your bid, you'd need to show your financial capability to even get initial approval.
• Then you'd have to go without payments for years for the work you've already done and would have to pay your employees in the meanwhile of your own accord
• And after all this, if your delivered product doesn't meet the Military's requirements, then forget eaening a margin, you'd be lucky if you didnnit end up bankrupt.

So, tell me if any private player would take proactive steps towards strengthening defence.

 

[BnglrTester]

Tell me which private firms are lining up to manufacture these jets. Private firms work for profit, and as such need to see the potential and commitment for large orders and a decent margin before they will commit.

Agree. People sometimes conveniently forget that we don't have a private company willing to invest and commit to a non-existent order, from a bureaucracy known for delays and an end customer well known to prefer foreign goods and put in unreasonable requirements. No sane Indian company will invest in Indian defence manufacturing knowing our armed forces well.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

It happens when lack of orders are given in initial batch & when you just want to save the production cost not to go high so to save the cost plane are delivered on slow rates!

I agree with you. The govts also earlier were to stingy with money for domestic manufacturing. They only opened the purse when it came to imports. In past 7-8 years there has been a tectonic shift in thinking. Record money is being spent on improving infra in the DPSUs and on R&D.

 

[Anurag]

So, tell me if any private player would take proactive steps towards strengthening defence.

Ok thanks for being realistic.

• in the case of fighter aircraft first case is not applicable as their is fair competitive edge when drdo share tot with private sector on the basis of bidding.
• why gov or mod believe that you are not favorable because you are relative to someone(politician or Babu or can be anyone) you must be an established company.
• As you pointed out third point this is the point that makes Dpsu slow in its first step as files move much slower the potential of employees wasted itself & then they become lazy(later everyone complain about them) one person can't do anything because they know the work culture
• as you said itself it's totally depend on mod & forces itself as in the case of rustom 2 every individual say it's failure project & sure it is but the latest report on the performance of the Hermes aka dhristi tells different story

Above all I don't have complain with just particular individual or company. I just want that everyone should work on the basis of that they are serving to the nation and everyone here represents - forces, Gov, Mod, dpsu/private companies.

 

[Tanishq Bafila]

Again MOD compromising Nations security by not reorganising DPSUs , Again MOD & IAF compromised Nations security by not giving clearance to AMCA project and waited for 2.5 years in search of private vendor for SPV model.

If you just bought a smartphone & having display issue you don't change the smartphone , you change the display taking in mind that you don't have other options currently ( money ) and the phone can do your work for next few years..

Private vendors are not coming to make AMCA for you , the most important project for India currently, and you are day dreaming that in next few years they will get mature & do R&D and replace DPSUs...

How about putting the right people in right places and make a better ecosystem better first ? Where private players can get the technology with the help of DPSUs and mature it and then replace all the DPSUs by 2035

If it is that easy to buy a company and make its products in india then DPSUs would have been making hundreds of products indigenously

 

[Tanishq Bafila]

Above all I don't have complain with just particular individual or company. I just want that everyone should work on the basis of that they are serving to the nation and everyone here represents - forces, Gov, Mod, dpsu/private companies.

Brilliant comment summaries everything in one comment... People like these Charminar , sudha , Akshat all are anti-DPSUs and some others hate private players...

Just like in every system , the lowest in the chain will have to face the complete blame & criticism & the top officials will get away with the little bit of criticism

Not to mention how many bribe & scams we have seen in the army & airforce deals

 

[Anant]

Agree. People sometimes conveniently forget that we don't have a private company willing to invest and commit to a non-existent order, from a bureaucracy known for delays and an end customer well known to prefer foreign goods and put in unreasonable requirements. No sane Indian company will invest in Indian defence manufacturing knowing our armed forces well.

Well, some firms are starting to make inroads in the sector, with Kalyani being a major example. However, unless something major changes, we will only see this happen at the lower end of military equipment. After all, it is far easier to sell a 2 million dollar artillery gun than it is to sell a 50 million dollar fighter. Hence, these firms can realise foreign orders more easily as well.

 

[Rajsn]

Haha.
HILLARIOUS
Antiquated
Loosers
Excuse after Excuse .
Hal should get all its Managment fired, Pensions Revoked .
The worst DPSU.
Rajnath Singh should take Responsibility and Resign !!!

 

[Sir Capt]

We should see these aircraft gracing the Indian skies in its defence by 2030 and well after Pakistan has acquired whatever latest stealth fighters are donated to it's inventory.

 

[Sathish Kumaram]

Of course today things are different. 1month delay is OK. I trust HAL will keep to promised delivery quantity for this year. Otherwise, the Someone in defence ministry will bamboo HAL chairman because Indian public is very conscious about these things now. This was not the case 20 years ago

Intial glitches during production run is expected,.but deliveries to meet all the quality requirement.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

If you just bought a smartphone & having display issue you don't change the smartphone , you change the display taking in mind that you don't have other options currently ( money ) and the phone can do your work for next few years..

Depends. Thing with modern unibody smartphones is, more often than not, cost of replacing a display is almost 70-80% the cost of new phone, in which case, it is economical to just buy a new one as that would mean newer features and better improved battery.

Private vendors are not coming to make AMCA for you , the most important project for India currently, and you are day dreaming that in next few years they will get mature & do R&D and replace DPSUs...

Private vendors are a business and work with motive of "profit". They will not pitch in whereever there is a chance they will not be able to recoup their investment. In sectors where they have observed steady revenue stream, private sector has pitched in and has been steadily replacing DPSUs.

How about putting the right people in right places and make a better ecosystem better first ? Where private players can get the technology with the help of DPSUs and mature it and then replace all the DPSUs by 2035

Honestly speaking, private sector don't need technology from DPSUs. They need to be set free of the red-tape and allowed to invest and export.

If it is that easy to buy a company and make its products in india then DPSUs would have been making hundreds of products indigenously

Let the DPSUs to first have the foresight to buy companies (and not just overtake another sick fellow DPSU), then we will talk. Making hundreds of product indigenously also requires forward-thinking, technical capability and most importantly, astute management skills which gets severly hampered if organizations recruit based on an individual's caste certificate rather than academic and professional performance.

 

[Rajesh]

Hope 1 month is not the time required to find the next excuse like how SBI requested more time to cover up the electoral bonds case in SC . All mig 21/jaguar sq being replaced by Tejas is the day atmanirbhar barath is being implemented and don't know when that will be achieved by HAL.

 

[Tanishq Bafila]

Depends. Thing with modern unibody smartphones is, more often than not, cost of replacing a display is almost 70-80% the cost of new phone, in which case, it is economical to just buy a new one as that would mean newer features and better improved battery.

Private vendors are a business and work with motive of "profit". They will not pitch in whereever there is a chance they will not be able to recoup their investment. In sectors where they have observed steady revenue stream, private sector has pitched in and has been steadily replacing DPSUs.

Honestly speaking, private sector don't need technology from DPSUs. They need to be set free of the red-tape and allowed to invest and export.

Let the DPSUs to first have the foresight to buy companies (and not just overtake another sick fellow DPSU), then we will talk. Making hundreds of product indigenously also requires forward-thinking, technical capability and most importantly, astute management skills which gets severly hampered if organizations recruit based on an individual's caste certificate rather than academic and professional performance.

These DPSUs have been making licensed products since ages , tell me 5 products that private industries have made by themselves without any help in last 10 years...

They don't want to be a partner in the Tejas mk2 , AMCA projects providing all the facilities through DPSUs but can replace DPSUs now , what are you smoking ?

The same DRDO has today developed MIRV capability, DPSUs will be replaced by Private in future but not before early 2030s

And regarding your comment on cast system , noone is stopping GOI to Remove reservation from DPSUs , there is already no place for reservation in armed forces... Noone is stopping GOI to reorganize DPSUs , can't ask GOI to do anything but will blame DPSUs for everything..

 

[Pad UwU]

Tejas mk1a debut that, this and there 😹😹😹😹
Wadafaq I hear this everytime