Tejas Mark -II Will Turn The IAF Into A 54 Squadron Force By 2030
The indigenous built Tejas Mark 1 A should be entering IAF Squadron service by 2023. There is a big likely hood that soon HAL may also receive an export order for 80 to 120 fighters from around four countries. In that case we will have to ramp up production from current 16 to 24 and by 2025 to 32 fighters per year.
Thus by 2026 IAF should be having 6 squadrons of Mk1A including two upgraded from Mk1. For combat patrolling of the Indian sky and for various mundane tasks this will be the best aircraft at least cost. IAF may think of increasing the orders by another three squadrons to have a total of 9 squadrons.
The next version of Tejas fighter jet , the Mk2 will also be entering the scene soon as the work is on schedule. It is being already claimed that Mk2 version will have the capacity to conduct operations such as the one under taken by the Indian Air Force in Balakot. According to Program Director (Combat Aircraft), Aeronautical Development Agency Girish Deodhare the fighter will be better than Mirage 2000.
The MK-II Tejas fitted with GE 414 engine ( at least for now, till indigenous one is available ) will have double the range of its predecessor MK-I and will be fitted with Astra II BVR air-to-air missiles with a range of at least 150 km. It will carry standoff weapons like crystal maze and spice missiles also.
HAL has done a commendable job to produce a FOC Tejas within a year of the design being frozen. This will help in faster development of MK-II as it only involves in upscaling of the existing platform with superior armaments, radar and avionics as per HAL.
For the MK-II, ADA in collaboration with its parent DRDO is developing the indigenous active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, which is not only difficult to detect but also has a high resistance to jamming by the enemy during an engagement.
The Tejas Mark II would incorporate all the new features of the Mark-1A as well as a new glass cockpit with an eight-by-twelve-inch multifunction display and an onboard Oxygen system that collects air from the outside, removing the need for Oxygen bottles.
HAL is expecting to fly the Mk2 by 2022 and the first first squadron should be made available by 2026. By streamlining the production of this version too HAL should be able to provide six squadrons to the IAF by 2030. Also once Mk1 export is a success, then orders will invariably follow for the Mk2 from countries in Indo Pacific, South America and even Middle East and Africa.
Tejas Mark II will be equipped with a multi-sensor data fusion system which will feature an active electronically scanned array radar, infrared search and track and a missile approach warning system. The fighter jet will also comprise of an internalized electronic warfare suite. The aircraft will be designed to have network-centric warfare capacity and will be equipped with artificial intelligence-based “optimally manned” cockpit.
The cockpit will be designed such that the ground control would be able to take over the controls of the aircraft in case the pilot becomes unconscious, after being alerted by a sensor in the helmet of the pilot.
As per news,ADA and Indian Air Force (IAF) should be signing an agreement for twin-engine advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) in the next three months. Earlier, IAF gave a written commitment to DRDO that it would buy the fifth-generation AMCA to strengthen its strike capabilities. AMCA is expected to roll out in 2024 and take to the skies the following year. By 2030 IAF should be expecting the first squadron.
Therefore the line up in 2031 should be like this :
Tejas Mk1A ………………..9 Squadrons ( including 2 xSqn upgraded from Mk1+ 3 additional )
Tejas Mk2 …………………..6 Squadrons
SU30 MKI …………………….15 Squadrons
Mirage 2000………………….2 Squadrons
MiG 29 ………………………….4 Squadrons ( one refubrished from Russia )
Jaguar …………………………..6 Squadrons
Rafael…………………………….8 Squadrons ( includes 6x MMRCA )
AMCA……………………………. 1 Squadron
SU57 MKI ……………………….3 Squadrons ( needs to be ordered till own AHCA starts replacing the
SU 30 MKIs eventually )
Thus 54 Squadrons will provide a breather to IAF for a two front war . Between 2031 to 2040 AMCA should be replacing all the Jaguars , MiG29s and the Mirage 2000s . By then our own AHCA should have taken to the skies and the Successor to Tejas MK 2 on the drawing boards .
