Despite indigenous push, wait for India's fifth-gen Amca could be long

The Expression of interest (EoI) for developing the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (Amca) has drawn responses from an array of players, including public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd as well as some private sector entities, including Bharat Forge Ltd, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd, Larsen & Toubro, and Adani Defence & Aerospace, among others.

The Amca programme is looking to build an indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet, which is seen as a key element in strengthening the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) combat jet fleet. The aircraft is expected to enter service by 2035.

What is the Amca programme?

The fifth-gen stealth aircraft, India's first, will be built on a single-seat, twin-engine multirole platform, and is expected to have cutting-edge capabilities in air superiority, ground strikes, and electronic warfare. The fighter is being developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

The aircraft is meant to be India’s strategic leap into indigenous fifth-generation fighter technology, intended as a replacement for the ageing Su-30MKI fleet over time. It has already entered its Full-Scale Engineering Development phase, with five prototypes planned and serial production targeted by 2035.

It includes internal weapons bays, serpentine air intakes for stealth, and radar-absorbent materials to obfuscate its radar signature in contested environments. It will have a high thrust-to-weight ratio as well as sensor fusion, which allows inputs from multiple sources like radar, infrared and electronic warfare to be merged into a single picture for the pilot, enhancing situational awareness and decision-making. Additionally, the fighter jet will feature advanced avionics such as an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, Infrared Search and Track, and AI-assisted electronic piloting.

The plan is to also equip it for net-centric warfare, allowing real-time data sharing with other platforms, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

With an internal fuel capacity of around 6.5 tonnes and supercruise capability - which will allow it to fly at supersonic speeds without using its afterburner - the Amca will be designed for long-range missions. It will also have an internal payload capacity of up to 1.5 tonnes, besides external payload capacity for non-stealth operations.

What lies ahead?

While the final Amca prototype is expected to take to the skies by 2029, at least eight more IAF squadrons are set to retire over the next decade, making the Amca's deployment a matter of critical urgency.

Last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the Amca's design and prototype development at a cost of around ₹15,000 crore. The IAF's modernisation roadmap envisages the induction of about 120 such stealth fighters, making up six squadrons.

The first two AMCA squadrons will use American F-414 engines, while the subsequent Mk-2 variant will feature a more advanced and powerful engine developed in India with French collaboration.