US sabotaging India’s Tejas MK1A fighter jet program? Threat for US-made F-16, tension for Pakistan because…

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The Tejas MK1A fighter jet, which aligns with India’s “Make in India” initiative, aims to replace the IAF’s aging fleet of MiG-21 s, and enhance its operational readiness.

(File)

India is developing its indigenously-built Tejas fleet of fighter jets to replace the aging fleet of Soviet-era MiG fighters in the Indian Air Force. Currently, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of New Delhi’s Ministry of Defense’s Department of Defence Research and Development is developing Tejas MK1A fighter jet, the latest variant of the light combat aircraft.

However, India’s ambitious fighter jet program is facing a major obstacle in development, US manufacturer General Electric (GE) has delayed the delivery of the F404 engine, which will be used to power the Tejas MK1A aircraft. The engine was scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2023, after a deal was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit that year.

But the delivery has faced prolonged delays, and now is set to April 2025, halting the IAF’s induction schedule, and adversely affecting its operational preparedness, leading Defence Ministry to impose on the US manufacturer.

Challenge for US F-16, threat to Pakistan

While GE has blamed supply chain issues from its Korean partner for the prolonged delay, several experts claim that the obstruction could be a deliberate attempt to sabotage India’s fighter jet program as Tejas MK1A variants presents a credible challenge to US-made fighter jets like the F-16 in the global market.

The Tejas combat aircraft has showcased its impressive capabilities at various international air shows, resulting in several nations expressing interest in purchasing India’s 4.5 generation fighter jet to replace their aging warplanes. This presents a direct challenge to the US fighter jets, making the delay in delivery of engines for the Tejas program suspicious, to say the least.

Notably, US recently bagged a contract for delivery a fleet of F-16s to Argentina, but the Tejas is also giving tough competition to another similar combat plane, the JF-17 Thunder, jointly built by Pakistan and China. Tejas has several advantages over the JF-17 Thunder, and is closer in capabilities to the F-16, while being comparatively cheaper than both.

India’s Tejas fighter jet program is also a major threat to Pakistan, as JF-17 Thunder is the most advanced warplane in the Pakistan Air Force, but the Chinese-Pakistani combat plane lacks some of the capabilities of the new Tejas MK1A variant.

Tejas MK1A fighter jet

Developed by ADA, and manufactured by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Tejas MK1A is a 4.5 generation, single-engine, multirole light fighter aircraft featuring updated avionics, active electronically scanned array radar, updated electronic warfare suite, and increased indigenous content.

The Tejas MK1A, which aligns with India’s “Make in India” initiative, aims to replace the IAF’s aging fleet of MiG-21 s, and enhance its operational readiness. The first flight of the Tejas Mk1A prototype took place in May 2022, and  first production series Mark 1A aircraft (LA 5033) made its first flight in March 2024,

Besides the delays in obtaining new engines, the Tejas Mk1A is also battling a Danish export ban on the aircraft’s engine charge amplifier, apart from delays in the delivery of software from Israel, and required certifications.

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