More LCA Tejas For The IAF: $5.2 Billion Deal For Mark 1A Variant To Be Signed By December, Says Report

A $5.2 billion contract for around 83 light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mark 1A variant is likely to be awarded to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) by December this year, according to a report in Livefist. The final paperwork for the deal, the report says, is complete and awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry of Defence is also looking at a proposal to manufacture 18 LCA Mark 1 final operational clearance trainer aircraft to keep the Tejas assembly lines up and running till the deal for 83 Mark 1A variants is signed.

Tejas Mark 1A

LCA Mark 1A will be a more capable fighter than the original Mark 1 variant.

Mark 1A variant of the LCA will come with around 40 major and minor improvements over Mark 1. These improvements include the introduction of an active electronically scanned array radar for detection of enemy aircraft at greater ranges and resistance to jamming, and a faster turnaround of each aircraft after each sortie.

Earlier, the IAF had ordered at least 40 Mark 1 LACs. Around 16 of these aircraft are already in squadron service with the Indian Air Force (IAF). The first LCAs were inducted into Number 45 Squadron ‘Flying Daggers’ in 2016. The second Tejas squadron, Number 18 Squadron ‘Flying Bullets’, was operationalised in May.

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