Tejas

The HAL Tejas originated from the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme established in the 1980s to develop an indigenous replacement for the Indian Air Force's ageing MiG-21 fleet. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) was created to manage the programme, with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) serving as the principal contractor and initial consultancy from Dassault-Breguet. Key developmental goals included self-reliance in a fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system, a multi-mode pulse-doppler radar, and an afterburning turbofan engine. While development of the indigenous Kaveri engine encountered setbacks, the programme successfully produced its own quadruplex digital FBW system, particularly after US sanctions in 1998 interrupted assistance from Lockheed Martin. The project also mastered carbon-fibre composite structures. After its first flight on January 4, 2001, the aircraft was officially named 'Tejas' in 2003 and entered service with the IAF on January 17, 2015.

The Tejas is a single-engine, tailless, compound delta-wing aircraft designed with relaxed static stability to enhance manoeuvrability. Its airframe is distinguished by the extensive use of lightweight carbon-fibre composites, which constitute 45% of its structure by weight, along with aluminium-lithium and titanium alloys. This construction reduces joints and improves structural integrity. The aircraft features a night-vision-compatible glass cockpit with three multi-function displays, a head-up display (HUD), and a hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) configuration. The Mark 1 variants are equipped with the Israeli Elta EL/M-2032 multi-mode radar, while the Mark 1A incorporates an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and an On-Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS). Propulsion for production models is provided by a single General Electric F404-GE-IN20 afterburning turbofan engine.

The armament of the Tejas is integrated around nine hardpoints capable of carrying a total external payload of up to 5,300 kg. For aerial combat, the aircraft can be equipped with a range of beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, including the I-Derby ER and the indigenous Astra, as well as close-combat missiles such as the Python-5, R-73, and ASRAAM. An internal 23 mm twin-barrel Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23 autocannon is mounted for gunnery engagements. For air-to-surface roles, its arsenal includes precision-guided munitions such as the Spice family of bombs and laser-guided bombs like the GBU-16 Paveway II and the indigenous Sudarshan. The Tejas can also carry targeting pods, such as the Rafael Litening, on its hardpoints to designate targets.

The first Tejas squadron, No. 45 Squadron "Flying Daggers," became operational with the Indian Air Force in 2016, followed by the No. 18 Squadron "Flying Bullets" in 2020, both based at Sulur Air Force Station. The aircraft has participated in several major IAF exercises, including Gagan Shakti 2018, where it demonstrated its reliability and precision strike capabilities. Its first operational deployment occurred in August 2020 along India's western front. The Tejas made its international exercise debut at Exercise Desert Flag VIII in the United Arab Emirates in 2023. Successful test firings of the Python-5 and Astra missiles have validated the aircraft's weapon integration. After 23 years of flight operations, the Tejas fleet experienced its first crash in March 2024, with the pilot ejecting safely.

Main Variants

• Tejas Mark 1: The initial single-seat operational version produced in both Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) and Final Operational Clearance (FOC) standards, the latter featuring aerial refueling capability and an autocannon.
• Tejas Trainer: A two-seat operational conversion trainer variant designed for the Indian Air Force that also retains ground-attack capabilities.
• Tejas Mark 1A: An enhanced version of the Mark 1 featuring an AESA radar, a self-protection jammer, updated avionics, and an expanded weapon suite.
• Tejas Mark 2: A future medium-weight fighter development with a more powerful engine, canards, increased payload, and greater internal fuel capacity.
• Naval Prototypes (NP): Experimental variants developed with a strengthened undercarriage, nose droop, and an arrestor hook for carrier suitability trials.