New Delhi: India’s Tejas Mk1A fighter jet programme has reached another important milestone. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has confirmed that the first 20 Tejas Mk1A fighter jets have completed manufacturing and preliminary flight testing. The only major step left before they can join the Indian Air Force (IAF) is the installation of GE F404-IN20 production engines, which are being supplied by GE Aerospace. HAL says aircraft production is no longer the issue—the biggest challenge is the delayed engine supply.
First 20 Tejas Mk1A Aircraft Complete Flight Testing
HAL Chairman and Managing Director Dr. D. K. Sunil confirmed that the first batch of 20 Tejas Mk1A aircraft has successfully completed manufacturing and the first phase of flight testing. The fighter jets are now in safe storage. They are fully built and only need production-standard GE F404-IN20 engines before final integration, customer acceptance trials and delivery to the Indian Air Force. This marks a major milestone for India’s indigenous fighter aircraft programme.
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Why Are the Tejas Mk1A Deliveries Delayed
The delay is not because of aircraft production. According to HAL, the main reason is the slow supply of GE F404-IN20 engines from GE Aerospace in the United States.
Without these production engines, the aircraft cannot complete final certification and be officially inducted into the Indian Air Force. HAL has repeatedly stated that engine availability is now the biggest challenge facing the Tejas Mk1A programme.
HAL Continues Building Aircraft Despite Engine Shortage
Instead of slowing down production, HAL has continued manufacturing Tejas Mk1A aircraft at full speed. Its Bengaluru and Nashik production facilities are assembling new aircraft so they are ready as soon as the engines arrive.
HAL has also opened a third production line in Nashik, increasing its annual manufacturing capacity to around 24–30 aircraft per year. This strategy helps avoid production delays and keeps India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem active.
The Indian Air Force has already ordered 83 Tejas Mk1A fighter jets, while the Government of India has approved the procurement of 97 more aircraft, taking the total planned fleet to 180 Tejas Mk1A fighters.
HAL Uses Backup Engines for Flight Trials
To keep testing on schedule, HAL has been using Category-B (CAT-B) F404 engines for development and production flight trials. These temporary engines allow engineers to complete important activities such as:
- Flight testing
- Airworthiness certification
- System validation
- Avionics testing
- OEM acceptance flights
Once the production-standard GE F404-IN20 engines arrive, HAL will replace the temporary engines before delivering the aircraft to the IAF.
More Tejas Mk1A Jets Already Under Production
HAL has not stopped with the first batch. The company has already started manufacturing additional Tejas Mk1A aircraft. Reports indicate that around 30 aircraft airframes have already been built or are at advanced stages of assembly and testing. This means deliveries can increase quickly once engine supplies become regular.
GE Engine Deliveries Show Positive Progress
There are signs that the engine supply situation is slowly improving. HAL recently received another GE F404-IN20 engine, while an earlier engine that had failed quality checks has now been repaired, tested and cleared. As more engines arrive from GE Aerospace, HAL expects aircraft deliveries to speed up significantly.
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