NEW DELHI: The defence ministry on Thursday signed a ₹62,370-crore contract with aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to buy 97 more light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1As) and associated equipment for the Indian Air Force which is wrestling with a worrying shortage of fighter jets.
The delivery of these aircraft will begin in 2027-28 and be wrapped up over six years, the defence ministry said. The aircraft ordered include 68 fighter jets and 29 twin-seat trainers. The Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the deal in August.
“The aircraft will have an indigenous content of over 64%, with 67 additional items incorporated, over and above the previous LCA Mk-1A. The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the Uttam AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach (electronic warfare suite), and control surface actuators will further strengthen the Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) initiatives,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the project will be supported by a vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies directly engaged in the manufacture of components.
The acquisition, under the ‘Buy (Indian-IDDM)’ category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, is in sync with the government’s thrust on indigenisation. The Indian-IDDM category is the most important category of acquisition for indigenisation under the defence procurement policy. IDDM stands for indigenously designed, developed and manufactured.
{{/usCountry}}The acquisition, under the ‘Buy (Indian-IDDM)’ category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, is in sync with the government’s thrust on indigenisation. The Indian-IDDM category is the most important category of acquisition for indigenisation under the defence procurement policy. IDDM stands for indigenously designed, developed and manufactured.
{{/usCountry}}“The LCA Mk-1A is the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed and manufactured fighter aircraft and will serve as a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the IAF,” the ministry said.
The timing of the deal has come as a bit of a surprise as it was expected to be signed only after the state-run firm handed over to the air force the first two of 83 such jets already ordered in February 2021 for ₹48,000 crore to shore up the air force’s fighter fleet.
Two LCA Mk-1As are currently undergoing crucial weapon trials involving the ASRAAM (advanced short-range air-to-air missile). These trials will be followed by the Astra beyond visual range air-to-air (BVRAAR) firing, which has to be cleared by the CEMILAC’s (Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification) safety review board.
The first deliveries to IAF will take place in October after the completion of the weapon trials. IAF has been concerned about the pace of the LCA Mk-1A programme because of the possible risks a delay in the induction of new fighters could pose to its operational readiness. The first aircraft was to be delivered in March 2024 under the 2021-order. The new contract was signed a day before the IAF phases out the last of its MiG-21 fighter jets. The delayed LCA Mk-1As will replace the Soviet-origin aircraft.
Weapon trials are on and successful so far and the first delivery is expected shortly, said an official. “The signing of this contract for 97 more aircraft will enable activation of the supply chain and fulfilment of the defence ministry’s quarterly budgetary targets,” the official said, asking not to be named.
The first contract for 83 aircraft was hit by a delay in the supply of F404-IN20 engines by GE Aerospace. The supplies appear to be stabilising now --- GE Aerospace has so far supplied three of the 99 engines on order, it will deliver seven more by December, and another 20 units are expected next year as the US firm has fixed supply chain bottlenecks. The engine maker has also committed to deliver more than 20 engines every year, 2027 onwards.
HAL has an annual production capacity of more than 24 LCA Mk-1As. Ten LCA Mk-1As are ready (two with new engines) and 14 fuselages are in different stages on the shop floor.
The new aircraft ordered will be of the same standard as the ones already contracted. But their trainer versions will be different. The 10 trainer aircraft under the 2021 contract are of LCA Mk-1 standard, while the 29 trainers under the new deal will be of LCA Mk-1A standard and equipped with the Uttam AESA radar and a modern electronic warfare suite.
HAL is now expected to sign a $1 billion deal with GE Aerospace for 113 F404-IN20 engines to power the 97 new fighter jets.
The air force is grappling with a shortage of jets and operates around 30 fighter squadrons compared to an authorised 42.5. An in-house assessment after Operation Sindoor indicates that IAF may need to field more than the authorised number of squadrons to meet future challenges.
Quicker induction of fighter jets, mid-air refuellers and airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems tops the recommendations made by an empowered committee for capability enhancement of the IAF.
Defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, who chaired the committee, submitted the report classified as “secret” to defence minister Rajnath Singh in March, days after chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh admitted that the air force was “very badly off in numbers”, adding that it must induct 40 fighter jets every year to stay combat-ready.
The new contract shows that the IAF reposes a lot of trust in HAL, said strategic affairs expert Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd). “Now the onus is on HAL to clear the backlog and deliver quickly so that the air force can get back its numbers,” he added.