LCA Tejas Mk1 & Mk1A - News and discussions

redpanda said:
Tbh I don't really understand the point of going for ELTA for the last 43 Tejas Mk1A of first batch of order. Because by the time they deliver the first 40 aircraft. Indigenous EW suite would have been certified. It will take them atleast 2 and half year to deliver first 40 aircrafts. And SVK can be certified in the meantime. Uttam is already certified by CEMILAC. That is precisely why DRDO is offering HAL an alternative solution of Uttam + Israeli EW. Why not test mating both system once? Let's see if it works or not? They have two years for even that.
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At this point, mating Uttam with Israeli EW will add to the uncertainty, and HAL may not be sure about completing it in time or what issues will emerge. Also, it would mean additional negotiation with ELTA to help with this work, which means additional time required for MoD approval, contract negotiation, work definition, and cost escalation too. With Uttam + SRK, HAL depended on DRDO to deliver on time, and DRDO depended on HAL for the test platform. HAL was busy solving issues with ELTA + Israeli EW. Engine delay did not help either. So HAL is now trying to de-risk MK1A deliveries by going for the proven combo (ELTA Radar + EW) which it just finished integrating with Mk1A.

I can understand HAL's defensive approach when all are baying for it's blood, just few months back IAF chief publicly admonished them, and followed it up with his comments just after Operation Sindoor. In such circumstances, HAL's decision is justified as the orders for the Radar and EW system has to be placed now for the 41st and later aircrafts. I think Uttam + SRK will be viable only for the follow on order of MK1A.
 
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