NEW DELHI: A high-level committee is currently working to define a clear strategy and production-cum-business model for the swing-role advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) as part of India’s intentions to “accelerate” the development and introduction of its own ambitious fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.
In addition to IAF vice chief Air Marshal S P Dharkar, secretary (defense production) Sanjeev Kumar, and senior officials from the DRDO and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the committee, which is chaired by defense secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, is scheduled to present its report next month.
Pakistan is currently seeking to purchase a minimum of 40 J-35A stealth fifth-generation aircraft from China, which is currently displaying even sixth-generation prototypes.
As previously reported, China has already stationed its fifth-generation Chengdu J-20 aircraft at its airfields that face India, including Hotan and Shigatse.
The committee’s goal, according to a source is to “devise how best to get AMCA from the drawing board into the air by shrinking timelines and improving efficiency, including a good workable production-cum-business model with much greater private sector participation” in light of this and the significant delay in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) fourth-generation Tejas jet production.
The committee will also take into account the proposal to work with foreign technologies to produce a 110 kilonewton thrust-class engine domestically to power the 25-ton AMCA. Major players in the aero-engine market include British Rolls-Royce, French Safran, and US General Electric. After another committee headed by the defense secretary outlined a comprehensive plan for the IAF’s “all-round capability upgrade” to close current operational deficiencies within a set timeframe, the new panel was established.
At an initial cost of more than Rs 15,000 crore, the full-scale engineering development of five twin-engine AMCA prototypes was approved by the PM-led cabinet committee on security in March of last year. However, according to current timetables, the AMCA will not be ready for production until 2035 at the latest, despite having the necessary thrust-to-weight ratio, sophisticated sensor fusion, and stealth characteristics including an internal weapons bay and “serpentine air-intake” With the IAF now operating with just 30 fighter squadrons when 42.5 are authorized, another source stated, “It will be a difficult to compress timeframes but a substantial effort has to be made owing to IAF’s expanding technological deficits.” Over the next ten years, at least eight more squadrons are scheduled to retire. The IAF presently intends to introduce seven squadrons (126 aircraft) of the pricey AMCA, which will also have integrated vehicle health management, netcentric warfare technologies, and electronic pilot systems driven by artificial intelligence. The next five squadrons will feature 110 kilonewton engines, while the first two will be powered by GE-F414 engines of the 98 kilonewton thrust class.
Meanwhile, 180 Tejas Mark-1A fighters (at an estimated cost of Rs 1.2 lakh crore) and 108 more powerful Tejas Mark-2 jets would be introduced to gradually make up the declining numbers.
Simultaneously, as previously reported, 114 4.5-generation multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) will be manufactured with foreign participation.
