NEW DELHI: The most important deal within the indigenous navy aviation sector has been finalised, with the general value of IAF buying 83 single-engine Tejas fighters and their help bundle from defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Restricted (HAL) being slashed from the sooner round Rs 56,500 crore to Rs 39,000 crore.
The over Rs 17,000 crore discount in general value has come after hard-nosed negotiations unfold over a 12 months. The defence ministry and IAF had been initially shocked on the exorbitant worth being demanded by HAL to supply the 83 Tejas Mark-1A jets together with the upkeep and infrastructure bundle.
With the contract worth now settled at Rs 39,000 crore, the procurement file is being despatched to the Cupboard Committee on Safety for ultimate nod. It must be cleared earlier than this fiscal ends on March 31. As soon as the contract is inked, HAL guarantees to start deliveries of the Mark-1A jets in three years, stated a supply.
It was in November 2016 that the Defence Acquisitions Council had first authorized the procurement of 83 Tejas jets at a value of Rs 49,797 crore. However HAL had responded with a quote of round Rs 56,500 crore, which led to protracted value negotiations. HAL, as an example, was even charging revenue on imported parts. Merchandise by merchandise, the fee was introduced down. IAF additionally reduce down a few of its help necessities, stated the supply.
Down to only 30 fighter squadrons (every has 18 jets) when a minimum of 42 are required for the requisite deterrence in opposition to Pakistan and China, the IAF is banking upon the long-delayed mild fight plane Tejas to make up the free fall in numbers.
The primary 4 Rafale fighters will contact down at Ambala airbase in Could, with the remaining 32 following in batches by April 2022 underneath the Rs 59,000 crore deal inked with France in September 2016. However the gradual manufacturing charge of the home-grown Tejas fighters by HAL, very like its protracted growth saga, stays a serious concern for IAF.
The IAFs Flying Daggers squadron at Sulur has until now inducted solely 16 of the unique 40 Tejas Mark-1 fighters, which had been all slated for supply by December 2016 underneath two contracts price Rs eight,802 crore inked earlier.
The 83 Tejas Mark-1A fighters are slated to have 43 enhancements over the Mark-1 jets to enhance maintainability, AESA (lively electronically scanned array) radar to interchange current mechanically-steered radar, air-to-air refuelling, long-range BVR (past visible vary) missiles and superior digital warfare to jam enemy radars and missiles.
The flight testing for Tejas Mark-1A will hopefully be accomplished by 2022. After these 123 fighters, the IAF can be seeking to induct 170 Tejas Mark-2 or the MWF (medium weight fighter) jets with extra highly effective engines and superior avionics, one other supply stated.
However the Tejas Mark-2 and the indigenous stealth fifth-generation fighter plane referred to as the superior medium fight plane (AMCA) will take a number of years to fructify. For now, IAF is maintaining its fingers crossed the Tejas Mark-1A doesn’t get delayed any additional.
