Light Combat Aircraft TejasThe Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to order 83 Tejas Light Combat Aircrafts (LCA) from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) as price negotiations for the deal are to be finalised soon, Livemint reported as per the defence sources.
The discussion over the deal was initiated after the IAF, in December 2017, had issued a single-vendor tender to the HAL for 83 LCAs. The deal, which has been delayed for a long time, will be signed only after the price negotiations are done.
"The cost negotiating committee is almost finished with the price negotiations of the aircraft. Once it is done, IAF will enter into a deal with the HAL," a senior IAF official told IANS.
The estimated cost for the deal of 83 Mark 1A Tejas LCA is Rs 45,000 crore. The aircrafts will have their capabilities increased with improved serviceability, faster weapon-loading time, enhanced survivability, a better electronic warfare suite and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar.
Earlier, the IAF had signed a deal with the HAL for 40 Tejas LCAs, of which 18 aircrafts have been delivered to the force.
The Air Force, currently, has a serious requirement of around 10-12 squadrons of fighter jets in its inventory inspite of the first four of the 36 Rafale multi-role aircrafts are supposed to arrive by May 2020.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.