New Delhi: Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on October 3 said delays in the delivery of LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighters have been significant, while indicating that the IAF is also looking towards the Mk-2 programme to help fill capability gaps. His remarks came at the IAF’s annual press conference in New Delhi ahead of Air Force Day.
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AP Singh was asked whether Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) could face penalties over the Mk-1A delays. He acknowledged that programmes can face schedule disruptions but said “this time, the delay has been much,” adding that the IAF was also looking towards the Mk-2. “All these will be able to fill in the gaps that exist,” he said.
The IAF currently has orders for 180 Mk-1A aircraft through two contracts. The first covers 83 aircraft, comprising 73 fighters and 10 trainers, while a second order covers 97 aircraft. Deliveries under the Mk-1A programme have been delayed, with the initial problems linked to the availability of GE F404 engines. The IAF said last month that engines had subsequently been received and installed, but two or three technical aspects still required validation before induction.
The Mk-2 is intended to provide a more capable indigenous fighter platform than the Mk-1A and forms part of the IAF’s longer-term effort to expand its fighter fleet. Singh’s comments therefore underline the importance of maintaining momentum across multiple indigenous fighter programmes rather than relying on a single production line to address the service’s immediate and medium-term requirements.
The issue is significant for the IAF, which currently has 29 fighter squadrons against an authorised strength of 42. Singh has said the force needs to induct around 36–40 fighter aircraft annually to strengthen its combat fleet. The Mk-1A, Mk-2 and the fifth-generation AMCA are consequently being pursued as different elements of India’s future fighter-aircraft roadmap.
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