SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is working diligently to ensure that the upcoming Tejas MkII fighter jet will closely match the capabilities of the highly regarded Dassault Rafale in several key areas. Sources close to the program, speaking to idrw.org on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the Rafale serves as a benchmark for engineers and designers involved in the Tejas MkII project.
The goal is to produce a fighter aircraft that can not only exceed the performance of the Mirage-2000 but also approach the advanced capabilities of the Rafale—a fighter that is considered one of the most formidable in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
According to the sources, the Tejas MkII is being developed with the ambition of becoming a “Rafale Lite,” incorporating many technologies and capabilities that are close to, or on par with, those of the Rafale. The Tejas MkII is designed to be a more potent successor to the Tejas Mk1A and a natural replacement for the Mirage-2000 in the IAF’s fleet.
An industrial source informed idrw.org that Tejas MkII engineers are keenly focused on making the jet a standout performer. “Today, when Mirage-2000 pilots fly the Tejas Mk1A, they say that it is better in terms of handling and flight characteristics than the Mirage-2000,” the source said. “We want Rafale pilots to say the same for the Tejas MkII aircraft when it is ready.”
Despite being a smaller jet, with a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 17.5 tons, compared to the Rafale’s 24.5 tons, ADA engineers aim to make the Tejas MkII stand out in terms of performance and versatility. The Tejas MkII will boast significant advancements in flight handling, avionics, and weapons capabilities, pushing it beyond the Mirage-2000 in several categories.
The Tejas MkII program is progressing steadily, with a planned rollout by the end of 2025 and a first flight scheduled for 2026. The development process involves close collaboration between the ADA and India’s defence and aerospace industries to integrate state-of-the-art technologies and ensure that the jet meets the IAF’s operational requirements.
Once operational, the Tejas MkII will serve as a key component in India’s efforts to modernize its fighter fleet and reduce dependency on foreign platforms, complementing the more expensive and heavier Rafale jets. The Tejas MkII’s ability to perform a range of air superiority, ground attack, and interception missions will make it a critical asset in the IAF’s inventory.
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