LCA Tejas Mk1 & Mk1A - News and discussions

[Saaho]

ummmm.... guys.....

​

Exclusive: HAL may miss 2026 Tejas delivery target; indigenous radar dropped​

Published: 3:15 PM, Oct 29, 2025 | Updated: 3:36 PM, Oct 29, 2025



"
According to the sources, the indigenous content in the Mk-1A variant has declined, primarily due to the inability to integrate the Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar developed by DRDO’s LRDE. In its place, HAL has installed the Israeli Elta EL/M-2052 radar, resulting in a reduced level of indigenization in what was envisioned as a flagship ‘Make in India’ platform.
"

Exclusive: HAL may miss 2026 Tejas delivery target; indigenous radar dropped

The delay comes amid technical challenges, slipping production schedules, and growing concerns within the Indian Air Force (IAF) about the aircraft’s combat readiness and mission capability.

www.zeebiz.com

 

[Aniruddha]

ummmm.... guys.....

​

Exclusive: HAL may miss 2026 Tejas delivery target; indigenous radar dropped​

Published: 3:15 PM, Oct 29, 2025 | Updated: 3:36 PM, Oct 29, 2025



"
According to the sources, the indigenous content in the Mk-1A variant has declined, primarily due to the inability to integrate the Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar developed by DRDO’s LRDE. In its place, HAL has installed the Israeli Elta EL/M-2052 radar, resulting in a reduced level of indigenization in what was envisioned as a flagship ‘Make in India’ platform.
"

Exclusive: HAL may miss 2026 Tejas delivery target; indigenous radar dropped

The delay comes amid technical challenges, slipping production schedules, and growing concerns within the Indian Air Force (IAF) about the aircraft’s combat readiness and mission capability.

www.zeebiz.com

Its already well known at this point that the Uttam AESA will be onboard the second batch of 97 Tejas Mk1A ordered recently and not on the first batch of 83 Tejas Mk1A that were ordered in Feb 2021.
Nothing new in that.
As far as deliveries are concerned, they depend on how well the Astra Mk1 firing tests conducted from the LA-5033 just recently went.

 

[batman]

Its already well known at this point that the Uttam AESA will be onboard the second batch of 97 Tejas Mk1A ordered recently and not on the first batch of 83 Tejas Mk1A that were ordered in Feb 2021.
Nothing new in that.
As far as deliveries are concerned, they depend on how well the Astra Mk1 firing tests conducted from the LA-5033 just recently went.

well said, this is old news repeated again like some its new.

 

[Saaho]

Its already well known at this point that the Uttam AESA will be onboard the second batch of 97 Tejas Mk1A ordered recently and not on the first batch of 83 Tejas Mk1A that were ordered in Feb 2021.
Nothing new in that.
As far as deliveries are concerned, they depend on how well the Astra Mk1 firing tests conducted from the LA-5033 just recently went.

But that means weapons integration in Uttam is far away, right?

 

[babablacksheep]

But that means weapons integration in Uttam is far away, right?

The current integration test is with israeli radar

 

[marich01]

Right, something on the LCA from the call

 

[Sathya]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986778170297835716

 

[Sathya]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986783870755496313

 

[Saaho]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986778170297835716

Bigger question... what was HAL doing since 2010? Making pickles?

*censored* the Babu. We need to close HAL and let private players take over. This is bullshit. this should have been done in 2010 or ealier. What a joke!

And lets not forget folks, "IJT" Sitara aka Yasha is yet to enter production. Its a bigger joke!

 

[Sathya]

Bigger question... what was HAL doing since 2010? Making pickles?

*censored* the Babu. We need to close HAL and let private players take over. This is bullshit. this should have been done in 2010 or ealier. What a joke!

And lets not forget folks, "IJT" Sitara aka Yasha is yet to enter production. Its a bigger joke!

HaL should give the licence manufacturing to private companies that are Tier 1/2/3 suppliers already.. they ll take of care of making it successful.. they ll also find international customers.

Now that HTT 40 production has began, Yasha and future HLFT 42 program can be license manufactured by Private company/ consortium.

 

[marich01]

AFS Sulur has got like 10-20 scaled model of Mk1a , that's more than the jets built so far!

 

[South block]

What a beauty

 

[Saaho]

It is noteworthy folks that we will be inducting a Gen 4 aircraft when ...... no one else will be.... that will be the last 4th gen ever done....

I mean even worthless countries like Turkey have beaten us to it. Their fourth gen "trainer" / fighter will be introduced next year and bloody hell they will not be blocked in this stupid kind of manner.... Did i mention their jet first flew in 2023...

Imagine... Tejas first flew in 2001 or so... Its not funny folks..... Its not even funny!

TAI 2017 (project start) -> 2023 (first flight) -> 2026 introduction
HAL 1983 (lca project started) -> 2001 (first flight) -> 2026 penultimate production variant mk1a enters service.... in 2026.. MK2.... nowhere to be seen.


I am sure that in my lifetime, i will likely never see AMCA in service... I am 40 right now.... AMCA will not enter service before 2100.....

Did I mention, India does not have comparable air to air missiles to europe / america or china. Not to mention, no comparable ground attack missile on Tejas to most platform. Brahmos NG is yet to be seen. I doubt we will see one before 2040.

Feelsbadman.jpg

 

[marich01]

Turks are not worthless as you think, certainly not from the pov of having taken multiple development projects across both drone and manned fighter jets with own funding + access to unrestricted EU aerospace market. This factor alone should tell about the ambition part and they have several customers, in fact many customers across their circle of religious identity first countries.

The one and only reason we as a country do not develop and induct high end military gears is the willful reluctance from the Political leadership of the country. The political leadership want the country crippled in this aspect because it makes their role very relevant in the international geopolitical circle, this lack of indigenous items create needs, needs create business opportunity, which in turn gives rise to massive back handed dealing and scandals from which many stakeholders gain own share. Population never get to play significant part apart from bearing the brunt of such deals , or dying during the conflict wartime.

This habit of self destruction will never cease , in fact will only increase at the cost of countries own ability. For a few hundred die hard patriotic people you will find a few thousand nationalists who are in it for their own gain be it monetary or otherwise, and for a few thousand nationalists there would be vast population who are too preoccupied with daily life to even think at that grand scale. So the balance of the scale will never tip towards a highly successful all round developed country any time soon.

 

[Saaho]

Turks are not worthless as you think, certainly not from the pov of having taken multiple development projects across both drone and manned fighter jets with own funding + access to unrestricted EU aerospace market. This factor alone should tell about the ambition part and they have several customers, in fact many customers across their circle of religious identity first countries.

Turks are complete idiots and the only reason they have a defence industry is because they get all their defence technologies from west, repackage them and sell them.
They do not have any fundamental industry like semicon or MEMS or even chemical to support their defence projects.
They are practically integrators and that too pretty shoddy ones.

For them being a NATO member helped them a lot. For instance, all of the technologies where there are strict export restrictions, Turks are dead in water. Nuclear subs : Turks can not do it. ABM : Turks can not do it. Space technology : Turks can not do it. Jet turbofans? Turks can not do it. Only when it comes to project that are integration based, turks work.

That being said, Tejas has also devolved into nothing but an integration project. And yet HAL has bungled it so bad due to exceptionally poor planning in this project that it is not even funny anymore.

All HAL had to do was to buy engines in 2010s itself. That would have saved this project upto a decade.

Heck if HAL had decided to not wait for Kaveri, a lot of trouble would have been saved. If HAL had kept the scope of LCA to being LCA and did not go for engine development, radar development, by 2000s, we would be flying a competent fighter.

Had HAL chosen european radar, we would be having european missiles integrated into Tejas. The choice of Israeli radar was pretty poor. The radar itself is pretty good but no halfway decent missile works with it. Leonardo would had been much better choice. Should have made in 2000s itself or even earlier.

 

[Speedster1]

Turks are not worthless as you think, certainly not from the pov of having taken multiple development projects across both drone and manned fighter jets with own funding + access to unrestricted EU aerospace market. This factor alone should tell about the ambition part and they have several customers, in fact many customers across their circle of religious identity first countries.

The one and only reason we as a country do not develop and induct high end military gears is the willful reluctance from the Political leadership of the country. The political leadership want the country crippled in this aspect because it makes their role very relevant in the international geopolitical circle, this lack of indigenous items create needs, needs create business opportunity, which in turn gives rise to massive back handed dealing and scandals from which many stakeholders gain own share. Population never get to play significant part apart from bearing the brunt of such deals , or dying during the conflict wartime.

This habit of self destruction will never cease , in fact will only increase at the cost of countries own ability. For a few hundred die hard patriotic people you will find a few thousand nationalists who are in it for their own gain be it monetary or otherwise, and for a few thousand nationalists there would be vast population who are too preoccupied with daily life to even think at that grand scale. So the balance of the scale will never tip towards a highly successful all round developed country any time soon.

No, it's more complex than that.

This GoI seeks defence production as an extension of commercial manufacturing, with no regard for IP or tech sovereignty. For example, MoD is stalling the 114 Rafale deal in the guise of greater localization when, in fact, the $30b price tag is too much for them. This is the main reason for the staggered (batch-wise) procurement strategy proposed by the late CDS Bipin Rawat. Our R&D spend remains among the lowest of any large economy.

Secondly, our top political leaders are clueless with regard to strategic planning, relying heavily on MoD babooze for policy making. The babooze are steeped in a culture of red tape and following hierarchy. For example, they are known to send back procurement files for something as trivial as missing attestation on some pages. There is no institutional culture of efficiency or accountability.

The RM is a chip off the old block with a hands-off approach to key decisions in the MoD. In the recent interview he gave to Network18 , he didn't appear particularly clued-in on the status of top projects like P77 or A6. Same old obfuscation and wry smiles we used to see from the late PM Vajpayee, among others.

Plus, there is intense lobbying from vested business interests like Adani, who favour leveraging imported tech to bridge the gap until local tech is ready. This collusion between bureaucracy, industry players, and military procurement officials is at the core of our modernization miseries. The PM i seems to have shelved his plans for bureaucratic reform, under pressure from his coalition partners. Don't expect anything to change until 2029.

 

[batman]

What a beauty

View attachment 47685

If this jet had better looking air intakes, it would have looked as good or better than other single engine jets 4th gen jets.

 

[Saaho]

No, it's more complex than that.

This GoI seeks defence production as an extension of commercial manufacturing, with no regard for IP or tech sovereignty. For example, MoD is stalling the 114 Rafale deal in the guise of greater localization when, in fact, the $30b price tag is too much for them. This is the main reason for the staggered (batch-wise) procurement strategy proposed by the late CDS Bipin Rawat. Our R&D spend remains among the lowest of any large economy.

Secondly, our top political leaders are clueless with regard to strategic planning, relying heavily on MoD babooze for policy making. The babooze are steeped in a culture of red tape and following hierarchy. For example, they are known to send back procurement files for something as trivial as missing attestation on some pages. There is no institutional culture of efficiency or accountability.

The RM is a chip off the old block with a hands-off approach to key decisions in the MoD. In the recent interview he gave to Network18 , he didn't appear particularly clued-in on the status of top projects like P77 or A6. Same old obfuscation and wry smiles we used to see from the late PM Vajpayee, among others.

Plus, there is intense lobbying from vested business interests like Adani, who favour leveraging imported tech to bridge the gap until local tech is ready. This collusion between bureaucracy, industry players, and military procurement officials is at the core of our modernization miseries. The PM i seems to have shelved his plans for bureaucratic reform, under pressure from his coalition partners. Don't expect anything to change until 2029.

I do not see any conspiracy but only incompetence.

Its not hard to understand actually... HAL et al are no different than BSNL.

When BSNL was the sole provider of telecom back in 80s and 90s, people used to wait for years for a phone line.
When Airtel etc were allowed entry into this market the availability and quality of telecom went sky high.

Remember, during Pandemic even with all the mess India was able to administer vaccines to almost all of Indians in relatively tame timelines? Why? Because production was happening in a private company: Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech.

I remember waiting for 3G in 2005 or so. But now you get the latest telecom tech in India even before west.

And even likes of Ambani are now doing 5G stack by integrating solutions from all over the world.

Its not that TATAs or RIL can not make an airplane worth Indian forces and IAF demands. They just are not allowed to step into the walled garden that is HAL.

In Indian defence, Make in India often devolves into "Designed and Made" by Indian government employees and that is a non starter most of the times.

You give the entire assembly line in hands of Adani and he will ensure these stupid mistakes like not keeping inventory of F404s will never happen. He will ensure that either Israeli radar will work with western missiles (like Meteor) or he buys Leonardo's radars.

These things happen because incompetence in HAL has ZERO downsides. There is no other god damned way that HAL bungled up even a IJT project so royally. It has to be absolute incompetence. No one is getting that project. Its so royally delayed because HAL is incompetent.

And it is not just me who is saying this. Our esteemed CAS was echoing this sometimes back.

 

[marich01]

No, it's more complex than that.

yes of course, since a lot of stakeholders in the whole situation with each trying to influence as per each capability. I only cited the core political leadership unwillingness on one aspect. This is applicable for several other cases and it is also not enough to describe the whole situation.
Core issue being whichever political coalition run the country, there has been stark unwillingness to seriously develop fighter jets along with jet engine by multiple successive govt. Easy way out ie license mfg locally is the most popular choice taken by them. When that has become a hurdle, small imports have happened along with controversy. Its a vicious circle.

About this baboos part, we see them as culprit because we are not privy to information from the decision makers, compared to information coming thru this group of administrative baboos. As administrative process implementation duty fulfilling personnel, their job is to make the policy how what when part etc. But they do not do it on their own, decision maker above them decides the what and how part. We just like to blame them because we do not know what instruction they are working under. Their role is mostly facilitator, not the fundamental decision/policy making part.

 

[Speedster1]

Its not that TATAs or RIL can not make an airplane worth Indian forces and IAF demands. They just are not allowed to step into the walled garden that is HAL

Technically, any Indian co with a defence industrial license and capable of meeting specific capital/infra requirements can bid for DCPP in ac mfg. Had Anil Ambani not gone bankrupt, we'd probably have a FAL for Rafale in the pvt sector by now. (+ Dassault Falcon executive jets)

The real problem lies elsewhere. When the MoD first called for bids for AMCA, there were no takers. The reason was a lack of clarity on production volumes. The number of times the GoI relaunched the tender shows they are desperate for pvt players to get into this space.

In Indian defence, Make in India often devolves into "Designed and Made" by Indian government employees and that is a non starter most of the times

In the context of combat ac, HAL is the only Indian co with deep expertise in end to end systems integration. I suspect pvt cos will need to hire ex-HAL staffers as consultants/poach HAL folks to operationalize their assembly lines.

Frankly, privatizing a profitable DPSU like HAL is going to be near impossible for this (or any) GoI. They aren't even divesting any loss-making cos but reviving them. The PM doesn't have the leg room for it in a coalition partnership.