New Twin – Engine Naval Fighter Jet To Roll Out By 202
India has constructed its first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant at the Kochi shipyard. The aircraft carrier is nearly complete in all respect is expected to go for trials soon. It is expected to get Commissioned next year and join the Indian Navy.
Sea trials should have begun by now but due to Covid-19 pandemic, the progress was stalled. Its trials are most likely over by 2021 and it will be inducted into Visakhapatnam-based Eastern Naval Command in 2022.
This aircraft carrier requires 24 fighter Jets, which we already have in the form of MIG29K s. 43 of these fighters will be serving both VIKRAMADITYA and VIKRANT well beyond 2035. However we do require a heavier strikers and especially for the third carrier and later for the fourth one also.
Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Aeronautical Development Agency and the Indian Navy are already jointly working on it at the design stage. The aircraft would operate from the Indian Navy’s future aircraft carriers and even the current ones.
Aiming to fight along the Russian-origin fighter aircraft MiG-29Ks of the Indian Navy, DRDO is working to develop twin-engine Naval fighter jet and the first prototype is expected to be rolled out by 2026. With this time line the fighter should be getting its Initial Operational Clearance,well in time to operate from the third carrier.
TEJAS Navy MK-1 Project Director P Thangavel said, “We have successfully conducted the first flight test of LCA and last year it was also landed on INS Vikramaditya. The Indian Navy has a requirement of twin-engine and advanced medium combat aircraft. We have been working on these projects for 6 months. It would be a big jet but with medium weight. The aircraft would be having wing folding capacity so it can be taken to the hangar for maintenance and storage.”
“It designs would be such that it can also operate from INS Vikramaditya and indigenous aircraft carriers. Without folding, its wings would be of 11.2m but its size gets reduced to 7.6m when it folds,” Thangavel said.
However it needs to be kept in mind that the third aircraft Carrier is likely to be + 65000 ton Carrier with capability to carry around 48 fighters. So when the third carrier enters service we will be having just a few of these twin engine fighters.
Therefore it will be highly prudent that the MoD provides at least one squadron of Naval Tejas Mk1 to the Navy. In case the orders are placed now then this squadron should be available by 2025—26 timeframe.
Flying the Mk1 till arrival of Mk2 will not only provide immense valuable experience to the Navy but also to DRDO and the HAL. It will also add more teeth to the Indian Navy, as Naval Mk1 itself is a potent fighter.
