HAL likely to deliver 2 Tejas Mark-1A jets next month: Defence secy

Defence Secretary R K Singh also said that the government is likely to ink a fresh contract with HAL for procuring an additional batch of 97 Tejas jets after the delivery of the two aircraft

Two Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets are likely to be delivered next month by the state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Defence Secretary R K Singh said on Saturday.

Singh also said that the government is likely to ink a fresh contract with HAL for procuring an additional batch of 97 Tejas jets after the delivery of the two aircraft.

The Indian Air Force had flagged concerns over delays in the delivery of the Tejas Mark 1A jets under a previous contract.

"Hopefully, the first two of those will be delivered with weapons integration by the end of September," Singh said at the NDTV Defence Summit.

The defence secretary said about 38 Tejas jets are already in service and another 80-odd are being manufactured.

In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF.

The delivery of the jets is facing delays primarily due to the US defence major GE Aerospace missing several deadlines for the supply of its aero engines to power the jets.

Last week, the government approved an additional batch of 97 Tejas fighters at a cost of around Rs 67,000 crore.

"I have made it clear to HAL that we will sign this contract only after HAL delivers two Tejas featuring a complete package," Singh said on the additional procurement.

He said HAL "will have an order book for four to five years".

"Hopefully, they (HAL) will be able to perfect this platform, integrate the radar and Indian weapons, so that it becomes a workhorse for us along with the Sukhoi," Singh said.

"There will still be a gap and for that gap we will have to look at some other options," he said, hinting at the procurement of more platforms for the Indian Air Force.

The single-engine Mk-1A will be a replacement for the IAF's MiG-21 fighters.

The IAF is looking at inducting the warplanes as the number of its fighter squadrons has gone down to 31 from the officially sanctioned strength of 42.

Tejas is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments.

It has been designed to undertake the air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles.