Tejas 2.0: Cabinet Committee on Security approves Tejas Mark-2 Project, sanctions Rs 6500 crore

Tejas 2.0: Taking the Make in India movement ahead, Central Government approved the development of an indigenous fighter jet in the form of Tejas 2.0. PM Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved Tejas Mark-2 Project on Wednesday. The Committee sanctioned Rs 6500 crore for design and development of theTejas Mark-2 fighter jet with prototypes, flight testing and certification. Get Details Here. The allocation comes in addition to the existing Rs 2500 crore sanctioned to HAL.

-Congratulations #India
–#PMModi led CCS clears Tejas MK2 with GE-414 engine, project yesterday
-Rs 6500 cr approved in addition to 2500 cr already approved for prototype
-1st flight 2025
–#IndianAirForce‘s 15000 cr 5th Gen fighter AMCA would also be a reality soon#IndianNavypic.twitter.com/mJurXEFVx6

— Insightful Geopolitics (@InsightGL)
September 1, 2022

Tejas 2.0 will be a more capable version of the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA). After the completion of the Tejas Mark-2, the CCS also plans to sanction the development of another mega project for an ambitious fifth-generation stealth fighter.

TejasMark-2 – Key Features

The advanced version of Tejas LCA will feature a series of additions to its flight and fight capabilities. Tejas 2.0 will be equipped with more powerful GE-414engines in the 98 Kilonewton thrust class, which will allow it to extend its flight range and carry additional payload and weapons as compared to the existing version. The payload capacity of the Tejas Mark-2 jet will be 4 tonnes as compared to 3 tonnes of the existing version. In addition to this, the new jet will also be equipped with an indigenously developed Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which will be a major upgrade from the existing ELTA EL/M-2032 multi-mode radar.

Approval for Tejas Mark-2 projects comes as the government pushes for the indigenisation of defence forces. Post development, Tejas Mark-2 is expected to replace fighters like the Mirage-2000s, Jaguars and MiG-29s in the IAF’s combat fleet. The existing Tejas Mark-1 fitted with GE-404 engines was designed to replace obsolete MiG-21s. Tejas Mark-1 was primarily developed to boost IAF’s air defence capabilities but the Mark-2 version will be capable of being used in offensive operations as well.

As per the plan presented by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the development of Tejas Mark-2 is expected to be completed in the next two years. The agency has an ambitious plan to conduct its first flight by 2025 with the production version being ready by 2030. Once the production-ready version is certified, IAF is expected to induct at least six squadrons (110-120) of Tejas Mark-2, as per sources.

Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft Project Sanctioned.

Along with approving the Tejas Mark-2 project, the CCS also expressed interest in another mega project for the development of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. The project which will be led by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will see the development of a fighter jet with stealth features as well as ‘super cruise’ capabilities. CCS is expected to approve Rs 15000 crore for the mega project in the coming months.