<p align="justify" class="bodytext"><span>The Indian Air Force on Wednesday asked the Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to submit a detailed proposal on the manufacturing of 83 advanced version of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft at a cost of nearly Rs 60,000 crore.</span></p>.<div class="socmaildefaultfont" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>The decision sets in motion a process to acquire more of the indigenous fighter jets to make up for the IAF's depleting squadron strength. </span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> "<span>IAF on Wednesday issued the Request for Proposal to the HAL for 83 more Tejas Mark-1A," said an official. HAL is to respond by March 2018, sources said.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"><span>IAF ordered 40 Tejas LCA in its basic configuration- called Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) - from the HAL, which already delivered five of them. The balance is expected to be handed over to the IAF by 200-21.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>LCA received the IOC from the regulator in December 2013. However, it is still far away from obtaining the Final Operational Clearance, which has now been rescheduled to 2018 end. </span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>The official letter comes more than a year after the Defence Acquisition Council, headed by then defence minister Manohar Parrikar, approved the procurement of 83 Tejas in Mark-1 configuration.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>The Mark-1 version would have 43 additional upgrades as against the IOC version. </span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"><span>From 2019 onward, HAL would augment the LCA production capacity by utilising the hangers that were used to manufacture the Hawk advanced jet trainers, sources said. </span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>The LCA Mark-1A will have new generation Active Electronically Scanned Array radar with simultaneous air-to-air and air-to-ground capability, missile warning system, an integrated advanced electronic warfare Suite; advanced versions of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons and maintainability improvements.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>The FOC version would be superior as the aircraft in the FOC configuration would carry Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, improved and better stand-off weapons and air to air refuelling capability.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>In April 2015, a Comptroller and Auditor General report flagged 53 deficiencies in the IOC configuration of Tejas limiting its operational efficiency and survivability. The IOC version was approved with those 53 waivers.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"><span>Recently IAF made a presentation to the government citing several technical reasons why Tejas can not yet fulfil the force's requirement. </span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> </p> </div> </div>
<p align="justify" class="bodytext"><span>The Indian Air Force on Wednesday asked the Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to submit a detailed proposal on the manufacturing of 83 advanced version of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft at a cost of nearly Rs 60,000 crore.</span></p>.<div class="socmaildefaultfont" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>The decision sets in motion a process to acquire more of the indigenous fighter jets to make up for the IAF's depleting squadron strength. </span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> "<span>IAF on Wednesday issued the Request for Proposal to the HAL for 83 more Tejas Mark-1A," said an official. HAL is to respond by March 2018, sources said.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"><span>IAF ordered 40 Tejas LCA in its basic configuration- called Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) - from the HAL, which already delivered five of them. The balance is expected to be handed over to the IAF by 200-21.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>LCA received the IOC from the regulator in December 2013. However, it is still far away from obtaining the Final Operational Clearance, which has now been rescheduled to 2018 end. </span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>The official letter comes more than a year after the Defence Acquisition Council, headed by then defence minister Manohar Parrikar, approved the procurement of 83 Tejas in Mark-1 configuration.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>The Mark-1 version would have 43 additional upgrades as against the IOC version. </span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"><span>From 2019 onward, HAL would augment the LCA production capacity by utilising the hangers that were used to manufacture the Hawk advanced jet trainers, sources said. </span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>The LCA Mark-1A will have new generation Active Electronically Scanned Array radar with simultaneous air-to-air and air-to-ground capability, missile warning system, an integrated advanced electronic warfare Suite; advanced versions of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons and maintainability improvements.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>The FOC version would be superior as the aircraft in the FOC configuration would carry Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, improved and better stand-off weapons and air to air refuelling capability.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> <span>In April 2015, a Comptroller and Auditor General report flagged 53 deficiencies in the IOC configuration of Tejas limiting its operational efficiency and survivability. The IOC version was approved with those 53 waivers.</span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"><span>Recently IAF made a presentation to the government citing several technical reasons why Tejas can not yet fulfil the force's requirement. </span></p> <p align="justify" class="bodytext"> </p> </div> </div>