Tejas Mk1A Embraces Self-Reliance: Indian Uttam AESA Radar Set to Replace Israeli System

India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A program is making a major stride towards technological independence.

Dr. Jitendra Jadhav, Director of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), has confirmed that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will begin replacing the Israeli ELM-2052 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar with the domestically developed Uttam AESA radar starting with the 41st Tejas Mk1A fighter jet.

This move signifies a crucial step in India's ambition to reduce reliance on foreign defence technologies. The Uttam AESA radar, designed and built by DRDO's Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), has undergone rigorous testing.

It has completed over 125 flight tests on the Tejas Mk1 aircraft, with only a few remaining tests before full integration into the Mk1A variant. Crucially, the Uttam radar has already received production clearance.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to acquire a fleet of 73 Tejas Mk1A fighters. The first 40 aircraft will utilize the Israeli ELM-2052 radar, while the following 33 will be equipped with the Uttam AESA radar.

This gradual approach ensures a smooth transition without disrupting aircraft deliveries while the Uttam system scales up production, which is anticipated to begin as early as next year.

The Uttam AESA radar offers significant advancements over traditional mechanically steered radars. Its electronically controlled antenna array enables longer detection ranges, superior target tracking, and enhanced situational awareness for Tejas Mk1A pilots in combat situations.

This development in the Tejas Mk1A program highlights India's growing capabilities in the development of critical defence systems and its commitment to achieving greater self-sufficiency in the defence sector.

 

[sanket]

TRM .............??? over 900 or 780..........??? i read some where it has more than RBE-2 used in Rafale.Uttam AESA Radar is better Than Israel ELM-2052 . HAL shold also deliver some Trainer with Uttam AESA Radar.

 

[iambatman]

TRM .............??? over 900 or 780..........??? i read some where it has more than RBE-2 used in Rafale.Uttam AESA Radar is better Than Israel ELM-2052 . HAL shold also deliver some Trainer with Uttam AESA Radar.

weather 900 or 780 trm modules doesn't matter tejas mk1A is a small aircraft, so we need to focus on the numbers in mk2.
definitely better tham ELM or our airforce will not accept.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

TRM .............??? over 900 or 780..........??? i read some where it has more than RBE-2 used in Rafale.Uttam AESA Radar is better Than Israel ELM-2052 . HAL shold also deliver some Trainer with Uttam AESA Radar.

Trainer dont need such high power radar. They dont go into combat.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

We finally got a definitive answer to the question of when Uttam will be incorporated into an aircraft. In past 5 years lot of work on Radars has happened in India. Uttam is the result of all that effort.

Indigenous radars will save us a huge cost, as well as improve export prospects by a lot.
Who is manufacturing Uttam, is it BEL?

 

[Ajath]

UTTAM AESA RADAR from 41st TEAJS MK1A . Thats good news all right. But when is the 1st going to get inducted ?

 

[vinod nair]

Why 41 and not after 21

 

[Prashu Sam]

Why 41 and not after 21

We already purchased 40 ELM radars and there is no return policy so make sense to utilize what we have.

Question to raise, why did we purchase them when UTTAM was close to reality few years back. There is lack of co ordination, trust, interest.

HAL did not trust that UTTAM will be ready and rush for purchase. They did not shown that same smartness while securing F-404 engines and others parts that are required for MK1A and now crying fowl.

 

[beencensured]

We already purchased 40 ELM radars and there is no return policy so make sense to utilize what we have.

Question to raise, why did we purchase them when UTTAM was close to reality few years back. There is lack of co ordination, trust, interest.

HAL did not trust that UTTAM will be ready and rush for purchase. They did not shown that same smartness while securing F-404 engines and others parts that are required for MK1A and now crying fowl.

Keep junk policy is something. Ridiculous. Shame on hal as all those officers should be arrested for corruption and cost taken.

 

[beencensured]

We finally got a definitive answer to the question of when Uttam will be incorporated into an aircraft. In past 5 years lot of work on Radars has happened in India. Uttam is the result of all that effort.

Indigenous radars will save us a huge cost, as well as improve export prospects by a lot.
Who is manufacturing Uttam, is it BEL?

Also, Waiting on indigenous engine on Tejas.

 

[kumar]

We finally got a definitive answer to the question of when Uttam will be incorporated into an aircraft. In past 5 years lot of work on Radars has happened in India. Uttam is the result of all that effort.

Indigenous radars will save us a huge cost, as well as improve export prospects by a lot.
Who is manufacturing Uttam, is it BEL?

I think uttam production by Astra microwaves.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Also, Waiting on indigenous engine on Tejas.

I dont think that wait will ever end. Kaveri didnt work, and there are no plans to make F404 domestically. Nor are there any plans to build domestic alternative inspired from F404.

If by some miracle, they succeed with kaveri 2.0, it can be put inside tejas when they come for mid life upgrade.

 

[kumar]

I dont think that wait will ever end. Kaveri didnt work, and there are no plans to make F404 domestically. Nor are there any plans to build domestic alternative inspired from F404.

If by some miracle, they succeed with kaveri 2.0, it can be put inside tejas when they come for mid life upgrade.

For all that to happen, first test infrastructure needs to come up.

 

[kumar]

TRM .............??? over 900 or 780..........??? i read some where it has more than RBE-2 used in Rafale.Uttam AESA Radar is better Than Israel ELM-2052 . HAL shold also deliver some Trainer with Uttam AESA Radar.

For the size of aircraft, it will definitely pack more TR modules than RBE2 and has better range than the elta one.

 

[kumar]

This is the level of testing and optimization in our country compared to the likes of turkey.

 

[NSR]

Wonderful news but we already know about it for a long time.
But manufacturing of Tejas IA is not in a good place at all.

IAF may get FEW Tejas Mk IAs this year, and maybe upto 8 in 2025 if things goes well, and after that about 12 per year or so from previous stories. It is not good enough at all.

Perhaps India should consider bringing a private company to accelerate the manufacturing to arrest the fast dwindling squadron strengths.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

Trainer dont need such high power radar. They dont go into combat.

Not quite increasingly the differentiation between a light trainer aircraft and a light attack aircraft is getting blurred. The South Korean TA-50 for instance is fully capable of being equipped with sone ordnance and can be used in light attack role. The FA-50 builds upon it to make it fully capable of service as a light attack aircraft by adding air to air attack capability apart from ground attack. The Russian Yak-130 is similar and has some major attack capability to be used as a light ground attack aircraft. Same is the case with Chinese L-15.

In times of war every platform capable of hauling ordnance matters and would be put into action irrespective of its original role. Afterall IAF has used the AN-32 transport aircraft as light bombers before.

 

[vinod nair]

If any of uttam radar is ready pls incorporate the same with 21 AC as originally scheduled why dole 20 more radar price in foreign exchange.when the indigenous option is available problem with technology is that it is always better then previous one. So when we are buying made in india not only saves foreign exchange and precious employment are being created otherwise shinning india be repeated..

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Not quite increasingly the differentiation between a light trainer aircraft and a light attack aircraft is getting blurred. The South Korean TA-50 for instance is fully capable of being equipped with sone ordnance and can be used in light attack role. The FA-50 builds upon it to make it fully capable of service as a light attack aircraft by adding air to air attack capability apart from ground attack. The Russian Yak-130 is similar and has some major attack capability to be used as a light ground attack aircraft. Same is the case with Chinese L-15.

In times of war every platform capable of hauling ordnance matters and would be put into action irrespective of its original role. Afterall IAF has used the AN-32 transport aircraft as light bombers before.

Well, I meant that an aircraft that is going to be used as a trainer need not have a powerful radar. If you are going to arm the trainer and use it for combat then of course good radar is important.

But if you just plan to use it for flight training then having a powerful AESA radar is a gigantic waste IMO.