SOURCE: AFI
In a candid address at a recent defense conclave in New Delhi, the Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, admitted that last-minute changes in armament and other specifications requested by the IAF may have contributed to delays in the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas program. However, he also rationalized these alterations, arguing that the prolonged development timeline of the jet necessitated updates to ensure it remains equipped with the latest hardware and weaponry, aligning with contemporary operational requirements and technological advancements.
The LCA Tejas, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in collaboration with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), was conceived in the 1980s as a lightweight, multirole fighter to replace the IAF’s ageing fleet of MiG-21s. Despite achieving Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in 2015 and Final Operational Clearance (FOC) in 2019 for the Mk1 variant, the program has faced criticism for significant delays, cost overruns, and production bottlenecks.
The IAF chief’s admission sheds light on one of the underlying causes of these delays: the iterative changes in requirements mandated by the IAF itself. Over the years, as the Tejas program progressed, the IAF sought upgrades to the aircraft’s avionics, radar systems, electronic warfare capabilities, and weaponry to ensure it could meet evolving threats and match the capabilities of modern fighters in the region, such as Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder and China’s J-10 and J-20 jets.
Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari acknowledged that the IAF’s insistence on incorporating last-minute changes had a cascading effect on the Tejas program’s timeline. “It is true that some of the delays in the LCA program can be attributed to changes we requested at various stages,” he stated. “Each change, whether in armament, avionics, or other systems, required additional testing, validation, and sometimes redesign, which inevitably pushed back delivery schedules.”
For instance, the transition from the initial Tejas Mk1 to the more advanced Mk1A variant involved significant upgrades, including the integration of an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, improved electronic warfare systems, and compatibility with advanced weaponry like the ASRAAM and Python-5 close-combat missiles. These enhancements were deemed necessary to ensure the Tejas could perform effectively in both air-to-air and air-to-ground roles, but they also required HAL and the ADA to revisit design elements, conduct additional trials, and secure certifications—processes that added years to the development cycle.
While acknowledging the delays, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari defended the IAF’s decision to push for changes, arguing that the prolonged development timeline of the Tejas left the service with little choice but to ensure the aircraft remained relevant in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. “The LCA program took a long time to mature—decades, in fact,” he said. “During this period, the threats we face and the technologies available to us changed significantly. We couldn’t induct an aircraft with outdated systems or armament when adversaries were fielding more advanced platforms.”
The Backing IAF chief points, Defence Analysts Ranesh Rajan said that without these updates, the Tejas risked becoming obsolete before it could even enter service in significant numbers. “If IAF had stuck to the original specifications, IAF would have ended up with an aircraft that might have been adequate in the 1990s but not in the 2020s,” he reasoned. “The changes we requested ensured that the Tejas Mk1A, for instance, comes with the latest hardware, such as AESA radar and modern weaponry, making it a credible platform for today’s battlespace.”
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