New Delhi: Indian Air Force has decided to procure around 100 Light combat aircraft (LCA) Mark 1A, an improved version of LCA Tejas. The deal with HAL will cost over USD 8 billion. The proposal in this regard has been sent to the defence ministry and approval is likely to be given soon.
The Tejas Mark 1A is likely to be inducted by early 2024 in a newly raised squadron at one of the operational bases of the IAF. CAS Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari was assured by the Managing Director of the plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) about deliveries of LCA Mark 1A would commence by February 2024.
With timely deliveries of the more capable variant, the LCA Mark 1A is likely to see increased deployments at forward bases. Over the next two years, all three squadrons of the Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jets will retire. The Jaguar, MiG-29 and Mirage 2000 jet fleets — all inducted during the 1980s — are slated to retire in batches beyond 2029-30.
As per plan, from February next year, for the next 14-15 years (till 2038-39), India needs to produce some 390 fighter jets for the IAF on its own.
Production of 83 Tejas Mark 1-A jets is scheduled to be followed by 130 Tejas Mark-2 jets; 126 jets of the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) and another order of 50 jets of Tejas Mark 1A is expected.
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