The Indian Air Force (IAF) has changed its traditional approach to accelerate the development of the Tejas Mk2, India’s indigenous fighter aircraft. Instead of waiting for the aircraft to be fully ready and delivered, the IAF has now joined the project as an active co-developer. The historic move aims to ensure that the aircraft becomes combat-ready and inducted into squadrons within just four years of its first flight.
In a major strategic shift, the IAF will now take responsibility for weapons integration on the Tejas Mk2. The Air Force plans to induct the aircraft with a ‘strong baseline’ and then gradually upgrade it with modern technologies, a strategy followed by leading air forces like the United States and Israel. This approach will save time and help quickly address the shortage of older aircraft such as the Jaguar, Mirage 2000, and MiG-29.
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Previously, aircraft manufacturers tested all weapons themselves, a process that took five to seven years. Under the new model, the IAF will take over the aircraft after basic testing and conduct actual weapon testing independently.
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The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will now focus only on the aircraft’s main structure and engine certification, while Air Force experts will decide which missiles and bombs will be installed and how they will operate. This “induct first, upgrade later” approach ensures the Air Force always has access to modern aircraft.
To make the Tejas Mk2 a highly lethal multi-role fighter, the Air Force will first equip it with missiles and bombs already proven on other aircraft, such as the Rafale or Sukhoi. India’s Astra missile, a beyond visual range weapon, will be the aircraft’s primary missile, along with various precision-guided smart bombs. Since the Air Force already has data on these weapons, new tests are expected to take only a few months instead of years.