Timeline For Tejas Mk-2 Emerges: Set To Take Its First Flight In The Next Two Years

India's new advanced single-engine fighter jet, Tejas Mk-2, is expected to take its first flight in the next two years, in 2026.

This timeline emerged from a meeting led by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) head Dr. Samir V. Kamat and Indian Air Force (IAF) Deputy Chief Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit.

The high-level meeting was held at DRDO Bhawan, where the development status of the various systems and subsystems of the 4++ generation jet was discussed.

The primary focus of the meeting was on the development timelines of the Tejas Mk-2 jet, since the prototype has been delayed several times, with the latest deadline of 2025 now being missed, pushing the first flight to 2026.

Moreover, the first fighter is expected to be ready for production by an extremely ambitious timeline of 2029-2030.

Apart from Tejas Mk-2, the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is expected to go into mass production only after the year 2035.

The Tejas Mk-2 fighter is a heavier and more technologically advanced version of Tejas Mk-1A. It will have a more powerful GE F-414 engine producing a thrust of 98 KN compared to the Tejas Mk-1As GE F-404 engine of 83 KN.

The GE F414 engine will be manufactured in India with 80 percent transfer of technology (ToT) with the United States, contract for which is expected to signed soon.

Just three days ago (on 13 August) Economic Times reported that General Electric submitted techno-commercial bid for the engine and the Indian government is set to approve the licensing agreement for manufacturing of the jet engine.

Furthermore, Tejas Mk-2 will feature various enhancements, such as the indigenous Uttam radar with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology, an advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) suite, an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor, a newly built Digital Flight Control Computer (DFCC), and an improved weapons package.

With a weight of 17.5 tonne, the Tejas Mk-2 can carry over six tonnes of weapons, providing increased operational capabilities. Additionally, it offers a longer endurance of two hours compared to the Tejas Mk-1A's 57 minutes.