SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has decided against equipping the 41st and subsequent Tejas Mk1A jets with the indigenously developed Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Fire Control Radar (FCR), opting instead for the Israeli ELM-2052 FCR, according to a report by India Today.
Sources within HAL, speaking to idrw.org, revealed that the decision was made to prevent further delays in delivering the jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF).The move stems from concerns that integrating the Uttam AESA FCR, despite being cleared for inflight operations, could add 12-18 months to the timeline.
The radar’s lack of full integration with the Tejas Mk1A’s planned weapons systems was a key factor. HAL is already under scrutiny for delays in the supply of GE-404 engines and for failing to deliver even one Tejas Mk1A jet with the ELM-2052 FCR, which requires revalidation with all intended weapons—a process complicated by the older ELM-2032 Multi-Mode Radar (MMR) used in earlier Tejas Mk1 variants.
The Uttam AESA FCR, while promising, would also need similar revalidation and weapon trials, prompting HAL to retain the ELM-2052 for the initial batch. However, the indigenous radar is slated for incorporation into the second batch of 97 Tejas Mk1A jets, which are in the pipeline, aligning with India’s long-term ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ goals.
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