Tejas Mk1A Flies, But IAF's Last-Minute Modification Request Could Delay Delivery by 4 Months

The Tejas Mk1A program celebrated a major milestone with the successful maiden flight of the first aircraft (LA5033) from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) Bengaluru facility. However, a report published in "The Print" indicates potential delays in the aircraft's delivery to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

According to the report, the initial delivery of LA5033 to the IAF may be delayed by up to four months. This delay is attributed to last-minute changes requested by the IAF, including software upgrades and minor structural modifications.

While HAL has not yet officially confirmed these details, sources indicate that LA5033 does feature various visible and subtle alterations. These modifications could require additional test flights beyond the typical 4-5 pre-induction trials performed before handing over a new aircraft to the IAF.

The IAF's requested changes demand careful validation through further testing to ensure the Tejas Mk1A's operational readiness. The potential delay in deliveries may be a result of this necessary testing process.

Despite the possible delay, the first flight of the Tejas Mk1A remains a significant achievement for the program. The additional testing, if confirmed, underscores a commitment to ensuring the aircraft's optimal performance and safety standards for IAF pilots.

In the coming weeks, HAL is likely to provide a more definitive timeline for deliveries of the Tejas Mk1A to the IAF.

 

[Sudha]

Is IAF not doing its homework? Why is it repeatedly seeking last minute changes in specifications or designs? Probably not just the IAF. I suspect the story is more dubious than that and will be known when someone retires or is called to account for delays. 🙁

You should have guessed it. HAL officially didn't say it since that is not the actual reason. Why will IAF bother about software upgradation? Some bug in the software so the delay. Informally they are blaming IAF for it will not get back to them if the IAF objects.

 

[Sudha]

Fake news. The first Mk1A has already been handed over to IAF and IAF pilot's have started testing it.

What? HAL has just trial flown for 18 minutes. Are you even aware that the plane will be well tested before handing over to IAF? Have you just landed from planet X?

 

[Sudha]

it seems the IAF Wants to land on oon with peanuts this is a long endign saga which will never end.

The "story " isn't even authenticated by HAL itself, leave alone IAF.

 

[Sudha]

Thats our IAF for delays...Seems as if IAF is ready to sacrifice its dwindling number of aircraft very readily...
On interviews IAF is very concerned about the dwindling Aircraft numbers in its arsenal yet IAF wants all modifications on the first go, no matter how much delayed the Aircraft induction happens..

Are there any source for this article? This is just informal which is almost equivalent to gossip.

 

[Sudha]

the french are crazy people when it comes to defence manufacturing. They insist on producing everything domestically. No one, not even america insists on comeplete domestic supply chain. For eg, the engines on C130J are made by british rolls royce.

Disadvantage of having complete domestic supply chain is that it increases cost by a lot, as huge amount of R&D is required. This is why rafale is most expensive 4/4.5 generation jet by a large margin.

Advantage is that you are resilient to supply chain disruptions. India relies on many foreign suppliers and global supply chain.

And dont compare defence manufacturing to Vaccine supply chain. Vaccine was number 1 priority at the time, so Huge effort was made so its production was not disrupted. And I dont know if you remember, there was a significant controversy when USA had restricted the export of API (vaccine raw material) at peak of covid to ensure they had enough for domestic vaccine manufacturing. India had even raised this issue at international forums. India's production of vaccines did take a hit, until USA relaxed export restrictions.

Seems you do not know anything about production planning. One has to take the worst case scenario while planning for production & order in advance. Covid happened in 2019 & HAL hasn't even made provision for delays? What kind of an organisation is it? Moreover why are you giving the sad excuse of covid in 2024, the disruption due to covid ended by 2020.

 

[Sudha]

Whatever I see tejas mk1a HUD I feel measurable and disappointment ... It's like they put buggati car technology to ambassador car... No futuristic design and they want to sell this fighter jet foreigner countries...

HAL just altered what ADA had designed. It is HAL man what do you expect? Build a spacecraft with wrap drive?

 

[Sudha]

Thats what i Highlighted IAFs Never Ending Demands , so If IAF is happy with Changes it may also know it going to b inducted Late. so Last moments IAF saw an opportunity instead of upgrading after some Time it is better to upgrade in the start even if there is Delay.

Why are you so blind & blame the IAF? There is no source for this article.

 

[Sudha]

if you despise HAL thats fine. IAF is no holy entity here. IAF won't make same demands if its foreign equipment. Always blame Indian Vendors which is in the very nature of hindusthanis. One has to be in there to see what goes on in IAF.

Man are you blind? You believe everything one says? I will say that you murdered a man & do not say who said it & do not give evidence, does it mean you murdered the man? Where has the common sense of commentators gone?

 

[Akhil]

Seems you do not know anything about production planning. One has to take the worst case scenario while planning for production & order in advance. Covid happened in 2019 & HAL hasn't even made provision for delays? What kind of an organisation is it? Moreover why are you giving the sad excuse of covid in 2024, the disruption due to covid ended by 2020.

What a bunch of bullocks. "Production has to be planned taking worst case scenario".

So if I want to start a factory I consider an asteroid hitting earth?

So how come production all over the earth were hit by COVID? And take into consideration, Tejas does not even has a well established yet and is a new product for which multiple small tertiary and secondary vendors were set up. India is not even a well established manufacturing hub yet.

 

[Tanishq Bafila]

no because you are a child who talks about victory and defeat in the comments section of a website.

Well for the first time , I am happy with the delay...

Reports are coming that there are supply chain delays by various vendors of EU due to WAR , even a tweet from the IAF highlighted that...

Due to this , IAF asked for new chances as they know that the jets will be delayed and they can use this opportunity to fine tune tejas Mk1A

 

[Akhil]

Says the guy who always gets defeated on facts. Understandable.

Brother none of your "facts" is even verified. You make up stuff and completely ignore any fact which contradicts your "fact".

There are many websites including this one which published that all the trainers are to be delivered by 25-26. You make up your fact claiming as if you have seen the contract which HAL signed with IAF.

Lol, just as there were multiple experts including former pilots who claimed that the Tejas crash seemed most likely an engine snag. But according to your vast super universal wisdom it was HAL manufacturing defect.

Now again multiple websites are claiming that the Tejas is ready (as can be seen) but IAF asked for small changes. But you in your infinite wisdom will hound anyone who dares criticises IAF.
Lol

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

While I find this lone of thought as bollocks. But, even if for a moment, I were to agree with you, that it was IAF asking for the changes at the last moment.

Shouldn't HAL, as a responsible integrator, whose reputation would be at stake in case of delays, would ask IAF to lick their balls and stick to the contract?

HAL can suggest that changes be incorporated after delivery in phased manner.

But HAL won't, as this presents them another golden excuse to cover their lackadaisical work ethics as prime cause for delay.

You can go to the print, news website. They have done more than 1 story on the delays in tejas mk1a delivery

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Seems you do not know anything about production planning. One has to take the worst case scenario while planning for production & order in advance. Covid happened in 2019 & HAL hasn't even made provision for delays? What kind of an organisation is it? Moreover why are you giving the sad excuse of covid in 2024, the disruption due to covid ended by 2020.

You must be living on mars if you think covid disruptions ended in 2020. Entire world's supply chain got affected
.
There was a global chip shortage, which created backlogs in automobile deliveries. Factories shutdown globally. These disruptiin continued till 2022. Supply chains had just started to get back on track when ukraine war erupted.

 

[Sandeep]

The main point is that they have made the jet and it's flying properly and smoothly with the new technology and equipment they had to develop and install which was the main task. The rest of the minor changes, upgrades and updates can be installed whenever they are developed and available so these teething issues isn't any major issues. In the first few jets they will sort all of that out but now they have to focus on manufacturing the jets as quick as possible at the cheapest price possible.

Now HAL have to manufacture the trainer jets very quickly so we can start training our pilots which takes a while. In the meantime we need to certify the new changes and technology upgrades on Tejas MK1A as it has a lot of indigenous equipment and technology which needs testing to make sure we get the best technology and weapons.

 

[bonito]

That's the highlight of IAF, they will play all kind of games, never ending demands and complaining about HAL.

Please understand that there is no more time post induction for changes to make in LCA. For last one time let IAF have the actual Tejas capabilities they asked since last 2 decades.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

As per unnamed sources. Usual DPSU MO.

But just for the sake of this conversation, let’s accept your argument. Tell me, if IAF had not asked for these changes, still HAL had only delivered 4 (or less) trainers by the deadline. That means even without any changes, HAL would have missed the deadline by a long margin. And that is assuming only 8 are to be delivered, which is not make any sense anyways (HAL chief himself had said that we will deliver all 18, I just don’t have that video now). You will see now also that HAL will make all 18 trainers first as closing the line and starting it again is just idiotic, even by HAL standards.

So no. IAF isn’t the cause. HAL is.

Dude it ain't OK, to request changes after the contract has been finalized. Sometimes I feel both IAF and HAL deserve each other.
Last minute change results in overhauling the entire supply chain. Take for example the canopy mofification. The vendor that was to supply those components would have to go back to drawing board and reconfigure his cast moulds and reordering supplies from his own vendors. Who will again take time. Such things cause significant cumulative delays as delay at each stage of supply chain adds up to overall delay.

Now with such things IAF seems to have handed HAL an alibi to cover for their ineffective and inefficient management.

 

[bonito]

if you despise HAL thats fine. IAF is no holy entity here. IAF won't make same demands if its foreign equipment. Always blame Indian Vendors which is in the very nature of hindusthanis. One has to be in there to see what goes on in IAF.

IAF has already compromised with HAL and is operating a fit for nothing IOC Tejas in its inventory which can be used only for Republic day parade for last 1 decade. How much more do you think IAF needs to give time for HAL?

 

[bonito]

IAF has already compromised with HAL and is operating a fit for nothing IOC Tejas in its inventory which can be used only for Republic day parade for last 1 decade. How much more do you think IAF needs to give time for HAL ? As I predicted earlier the delivery will be by Sep 2025 if miracles happen Jan 2025. Currently they production lines are busy with trainer productions.

 

[bonito]

Whatever I see tejas mk1a HUD I feel measurable and disappointment ... It's like they put buggati car technology to ambassador car... No futuristic design and they want to sell this fighter jet foreigner countries...

Fighter jets are not for display in republic day parades they are for fighting. Looks is the least of any factors when IAF is operating fit for nothing IOC configuration jets last 1 decade.

 

[bonito]

Well, few months delay was expected in delivery after first flight got delayed by few months. It is not blame of production, but rather certification and testing. Since, production of trainers is progressimg very well. 5 trainers have been delivered in last 6 months, HAL is on track to deliver all trainers by 2025-26 as promised. This is a tremendous achievement and fills me with hope.

Incorrect only 4 delivered. 4 in various stages of production. 2 not yet started.

 

[bonito]

Thats our IAF for delays...Seems as if IAF is ready to sacrifice its dwindling number of aircraft very readily...
On interviews IAF is very concerned about the dwindling Aircraft numbers in its arsenal yet IAF wants all modifications on the first go, no matter how much delayed the Aircraft induction happens..

IAF is doing the last ditch efforts to get a reliable for once for the last time a jet what they had been asking for in last 1 decade. They don't want to run the store with republic day parade display only IOC configuration jets.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

the french are crazy people when it comes to defence manufacturing. They insist on producing everything domestically. No one, not even america insists on comeplete domestic supply chain. For eg, the engines on C130J are made by british rolls royce.

Disadvantage of having complete domestic supply chain is that it increases cost by a lot, as huge amount of R&D is required. This is why rafale is most expensive 4/4.5 generation jet by a large margin.

Advantage is that you are resilient to supply chain disruptions. India relies on many foreign suppliers and global supply chain.

And dont compare defence manufacturing to Vaccine supply chain. Vaccine was number 1 priority at the time, so Huge effort was made so its production was not disrupted. And I dont know if you remember, there was a significant controversy when USA had restricted the export of API (vaccine raw material) at peak of covid to ensure they had enough for domestic vaccine manufacturing. India had even raised this issue at international forums. India's production of vaccines did take a hit, until USA relaxed export restrictions.

Although partially true! but I concur. French equipment costs a lot not just because they invest in having a totally independent resilient defense supply chain. It also costs more because the French who are its primary users have a rather small requirement themselves. Thats why Dassault never has any prospect of recovering sunk cost with just selling to French Air Force, as they have to sell them to French military at subsidized cost. Their chance of recovery comes from exports. Which is why Dassault Rafale costs so much, and that problem is further compounded from typically low volume of production, which precludes them from leveraging economies of scale.

 

[Akshat]

Brother none of your "facts" is even verified. You make up stuff and completely ignore any fact which contradicts your "fact".

There are many websites including this one which published that all the trainers are to be delivered by 25-26. You make up your fact claiming as if you have seen the contract which HAL signed with IAF.

Lol, just as there were multiple experts including former pilots who claimed that the Tejas crash seemed most likely an engine snag. But according to your vast super universal wisdom it was HAL manufacturing defect.

Now again multiple websites are claiming that the Tejas is ready (as can be seen) but IAF asked for small changes. But you in your infinite wisdom will hound anyone who dares criticises IAF.
Lol

Must be really really frustrating for you to go all out with the lies to defend HAL/DRDO and then finding out that the idiots at HAL themselves blasted their mounts and now you have to call them a liar or call it a mistake, no? The deadline for delivery was given by HAL management in its last annual earnings call. So this deadline comes from the very organization you are defending,

 

[Ketan Yadav]

These last minute additions always sucks...🥲

 

[Akshat]

Dude it ain't OK, to request changes after the contract has been finalized. Sometimes I feel both IAF and HAL deserve each other.
Last minute change results in overhauling the entire supply chain. Take for example the canopy mofification. The vendor that was to supply those components would have to go back to drawing board and reconfigure his cast moulds and reordering supplies from his own vendors. Who will again take time. Such things cause significant cumulative delays as delay at each stage of supply chain adds up to overall delay.

Now with such things IAF seems to have handed HAL an alibi to cover for their ineffective and inefficient management.

Again, you are failing to see that this exactly is the MO of HAL/DRDO. Fail to deliver, then issue an unnamed source based comment blaming the forces or some foreign vendor or the GoI.

As I said before, let’s assume that IAF did ask for those changes. But even if they hadn’t, the 8 trainers are not yet delivered. Which means even without the changes, HAL couldn’t have delivered the Mk1a on time. And it won’t be delivering them in near future as they plan to deliver 18 trainers first.

This is a clear cut evidence that this is nothing but a vague excuse. No exact changes, no time frame, no names. Just a pure rumor.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

Again, you are failing to see that this exactly is the MO of HAL/DRDO. Fail to deliver, then issue an unnamed source based comment blaming the forces or some foreign vendor or the GoI.

As I said before, let’s assume that IAF did ask for those changes. But even if they hadn’t, the 8 trainers are not yet delivered. Which means even without the changes, HAL couldn’t have delivered the Mk1a on time. And it won’t be delivering them in near future as they plan to deliver 18 trainers first.

This is a clear cut evidence that this is nothing but a vague excuse. No exact changes, no time frame, no names. Just a pure rumor.

Agreed its an excuse. But unfortunately, it was handed to them by the IAF themselves which they can use to hide their ineptitude. I have no love for HAL ineffectiveness, but this ust gives them a nice alibi that we are delayed because last minute changes requested by the IAF.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Although partially true! but I concur. French equipment costs a lot not just because they invest in having a totally independent resilient defense supply chain. It also costs more because the French who are its primary users have a rather small requirement themselves. Thats why Dassault never has any prospect of recovering sunk cost with just selling to French Air Force, as they have to sell them to French military at subsidized cost. Their chance of recovery comes from exports. Which is why Dassault Rafale costs so much, and that problem is further compounded from typically low volume of production, which precludes them from leveraging economies of scale.

French sell rafale to themselves at half the cost of export. I know that selling to your own military at a discount is standard, but french take it to next level.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Incorrect only 4 delivered. 4 in various stages of production. 2 not yet started.

There was article in this website itself that 5 have been delivered. If you dont trust this website then you should not be here.

 

[Akshat]

Agreed its an excuse. But unfortunately, it was handed to them by the IAF themselves which they can use to hide their ineptitude. I have no love for HAL ineffectiveness, but this ust gives them a nice alibi that we are delayed because last minute changes requested by the IAF.

Again, I am saying that this is a lie and IAF has not done this else there would have been a source. This is not just an excuse but a lie and they know very well that IAF won’t counter it.

Please look at the HAL statement from last year. They said they plan to deliver 18 trainers by March 2025. This clearly shows that they had already decided back then itself that mk1a won’t be delivered on time. If you read the Jane’s article regarding the delay in release of funds for mk2 her due to GE engine deal, you will see factual inaccuracies there as well.

This is all classic HAL MO. Only thing I don’t like is that no one ever counters them for their lies.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

Again, I am saying that this is a lie and IAF has not done this else there would have been a source. This is not just an excuse but a lie and they know very well that IAF won’t counter it.

Please look at the HAL statement from last year. They said they plan to deliver 18 trainers by March 2025. This clearly shows that they had already decided back then itself that mk1a won’t be delivered on time. If you read the Jane’s article regarding the delay in release of funds for mk2 her due to GE engine deal, you will see factual inaccuracies there as well.

This is all classic HAL MO. Only thing I don’t like is that no one ever counters them for their lies.

Dude we both know that HAL is lying, but unfortunately what's most prominently visible is that the change of requested by IAF after contract was finalized. Whats even more horrible is that government and people will accept it.