Defence Ministry kick-starts mega AMCA project, invites bids to manufacture 5th gen fighter jet

It is learnt that the government issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) or tender to Tata Advanced Systems, Larsen and Toubro and Bharat Forge as part of the selection process.

New Delhi: Opening a new chapter in fighter jet manufacturing in India, the Defence Ministry has issued a tender to three private companies for designing and developing the fifth generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft keeping the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited out of the competition.

The Request For Proposal, issued by the Aeronautical Development Agency, Bengaluru, asks the winning bidder to produce five prototypes and “one structural test specimen along with associated jigs and fixtures” by 2034, sources said.

The Defence Ministry earlier shortlisted three private company-led consortia – headed by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd, Larsen and Toubro and Bharat Forge - for the Rs 15,000 crore AMCA programme.

L&T, in turn, has partnered with Bharat Electronics Limited and Dynamatic Technologies whereas Bharat Forge has teamed up with Bharat Earth Movers Limited and Data Patterns.

Once ready, the home-grown Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and AMCA are expected to be the mainstay for the Indian Air Force in future.

Earlier this month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone for AMCA’s core integration and flight testing facility at Puttaparthi.

The winning bidder is required to support the flight testing and type certification activities of AMCA as part of this RFP. Moreover, the winner will have to incorporate a new company within a period of three months from declaration of results, with whom the contract will be signed.

Leaving out HAL in favour of private consortium is a milestone in aircraft production in India as Bengaluru-based defence public sector undertaking virtually enjoyed a monopoly in aircraft manufacturing till the Tata-Airbus consortium opened its C295 transport aircraft manufacturing plant at Vadodara in 2024.

After the three companies submit their responses to the AMCA RFP, the selection process for the project should be completed in four to five months, sources said. The selected private defence major will work with the Aeronautical Development Agency to develop the prototypes.

As per the RFP, the winning bidder will be required to set up manufacturing infrastructure, integrate advanced systems, support flight testing and ultimately position itself as the backbone of the country’s future combat aircraft production.

Fifth generation fighter aircraft have better stealth, superior sensors for improved situational awareness and ability to super-cruise when compared against their fourth generation counterparts.

Globally there are four such fifth-generation aircraft: the F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lightning-II from the USA; the J-20 of China; and the Su-57 from Russia. In addition, China is working on a carrier-based 5th generation aircraft (J-35A) and there are unconfirmed reports of a Chinese 6th generation fighter.

The Indian Air Force is currently operating with its lowest strength of 29 fighter squadrons against the sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons. The Defence Ministry is pursuing multiple avenues such as buying 114 Rafale fighter jets from France and indigenous production of 180 LCA Tejas Mk-1A to beef up the IAF’s squadron strength.