Tejas Mark II to roll out next year; trials in 2023: Hal chief
NEW DELHI: A more potent version of the indigenous Tejas multi-role combat jet featuring a much powerful engine, greater load-carrying capability and next-generation electronic warfare system is expected to be rolled out next year and its first high-speed trials will start in 2023, according to chairman and managing director of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd R Madhavan.
He said the structural package and related work on the Tejas Mark II, which will have an array of superior avionics, was progressing well, and the production of the high-performance jet is likely to start around 2025.
Madhavan said the upgraded version will have a bigger fuselage, longer range, better maintainability, greater load-carrying capability, much stronger engine power and superior net-centric warfare systems.
With an increase in range and payload capability, Madhavan said the new variant will be
much superior to the Tejas Mark-IA, 73 of which are being procured by the Indian Air Force from the HAL under a Rs 48,000-crore deal that was approved by the government on January 13. “Tejas Mark II is likely to roll out by August-September of 2022. After that, the first flight will take some time. The first high-speed trial of the jet will start in 2023 and we expect the production to start somewhere around 2025,” Madhavan
told PTI. The Tejas Mk-IA will be equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar, beyond visual range missile, electronic warfare suite and air-to-air refuelling system.
On the next generation advanced multi-role combat aircraft (AMCA) project, the HAL chairman said the aim is to implement the project under the framework of a special purpose vehicle (SPV), also involving private sector players.