HAL Is All Set To Respond To Royal Malaysian Air Force’s Request For Proposal (RFP) For TEJAS Jets
The Malaysian Air Force has sent out a global request for low-cost light fighter aircraft
Royal Malaysian Air Force’s Request For Proposal for TEJAS has been received by HAL. TEJAS is an advanced Fly-by-wire (FBW) fighter which has been designed, developed, and manufactured by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and HAL.
In less than 60 days, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is expected to respond to the Request for Proposal from the Royal Malaysian Air Force which has sent out a global request for low-cost light fighter aircraft.
On the sidelines of the 13th edition of Aero-India, R Madhavan, chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), had said that Several Southeast Asian and Middle East countries have evinced interest in the indigenous `TEJAS’ MK-1A fighter aircraft.
The export version At a vanilla price of just Rs 309 crore per aircraft, the export version of the fighters are going to be different from those which are going to be inducted in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and cost around Rs 309 Crore or roughly $ 40 million.
While the aircraft will be exported at the price of Rs 309 crore (making it the cheapest fighter globally), there will be extra charges for the services to be provided overseas.
The RMAF had first expressed interest in `TEJAS’ from HAL in 2019. For the first time ever `TEJAS’ showcased its might during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) in Malaysia. India’s ‘TEJAS’ had its first international exposure during the Bahrain International Air Show back in 2016.
The South Asian country has invited proposals from various competitors including: FA-50 light attack aircraft developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI); M-346FA Fighter Attack aircraft variant developed by Leonardo, of Italy; Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft developed by United Aircraft Corporation of Russia; and JF-17 of China.
The TEJAS program has presently received a major shot in the arm in boosting the Aatmanirbhar drive in the aerospace and aeronautics. The first squadron of TEJAS is already in service and had clocked thousands of hours of operational flying. The second squadron is now under raising. Orders have been plac3d for four squadrons of an improved MK1A version and Mk2 version should start flying very soon.
The production rate for this increased requirement by IAF is being augmented by HAL from 8 to 16 aircraft every year through the creation of a state-of-the-art new facility in Bangalore.
TEJAS would have the highest level of indigenisation with progressive indigenisation of critical technologies, thereby making India a technologically self-reliant nation. The program would check out the developing technologies indigenously.
“TEJAS program follows the system integrator model and has created a national aerospace ecosystem with the participation of more than 560 companies from large to SMEs which encompass all the facets of aircraft design and manufacturing. It is estimated that once the TEJAS MK-1A program in India kicks-off, primary jobs to a tune of 5000 are expected to be generated across the country. The program will foster local industry and drive skill development of young Indian workforce”, said a HAL officer.
“More than 200 Indian companies are involved in tooling, GSEs, and GHEs supplies for the program. Till date the TEJAS program is estimated to have produced 50,000 primary and secondary jobs across the nation. And, in the country’s aerospace history, the TEJAS-program enabled partnership with Indian private players manufacturing aircraft fuselage and wings. Some of the major companies contributing in the TEJAS program from the private sector are VEMv technologies, L&T, DTL, Alpha Toccol, TAML, Data Patterns, Pendios, Compupower and many others,” said the same officer.
Malaysia is planning to buy 36 light combat aircraft (LCA) which will be added to its existing fleets in the Air Force. In case the TEJAS gets exported, the whole program will get a much-needed boost and HAL will get international recognition in the global market for its design capabilities and the product will also get validated.
TEJAS is an advanced Fly-by-wire (FBW) fighter which has been designed, developed, and manufactured by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and HAL.
It is a 4+ generation fighter and comes with a glass cockpit with Satellite aided Inertial Navigation System.
It is capable of firing Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, can carry air-to-surface, air-to-air, precision-guided and standoff bombs and precision-guided munitions. It can hit targets over land or sea.
The aircraft can be refuelled mid-air which will increase its combat radius. It’s maximum speed is supersonic at all altitudes. It has a service ceiling of 50,000 feet and ‘g’ limits +8/-3.5.
