India moves closer to 5th-gen fighter jet, approves Rs 15,000-crore plan

India's ambitious AMCA project aims to develop a medium-weight, deep-penetration fighter jet with advanced stealth capabilities to significantly enhance the country's air power.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday approved the "execution model" for implementing a major indigenous project to develop India's fifth-generation, deep-penetration advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) for the Indian Air Force, potentially making India the third country to possess such stealth fighter jets.

At present, only two countries -- the United States (F-22 and F-35) and China (J-20 and J-35) -- operate fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft.

With China already having developed a sixth-generation jet, India has recently accelerated the development of the AMCA, with advanced stealth capabilities, aimed at significantly enhancing country's air power.

"In a significant push towards enhancing India’s indigenous defence capabilities and fostering a robust domestic aerospace industrial ecosystem, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model," the Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Rajnath Singh called it an "important step towards harnessing the indigenous expertise, capability and capacity to develop the AMCA prototype, which will be a major milestone towards Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in the aerospace sector".

The initial development cost of the project is estimated to be approximately Rs 15,000 crore, with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) spearheading the programme through strategic industry partnerships.

India’s confidence in the AMCA’s development received a major boost following the successful creation of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. Last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, granted in-principle approval for the fighter jet programme.

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is an ambitious next-generation project aimed at developing a fifth-generation stealth, multi-role combat aircraft for both the Indian Air Force and Navy.

Designed to execute a wide array of missions, including air superiority, ground strikes, Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD), and electronic warfare (EW). the AMCA will significantly enhance India’s aerial combat capabilities.

This single-seat, twin-engine aircraft will feature all-weather operational capability. It is expected to have a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 25 tonnes and will be capable of reaching altitudes up to 55,000 feet.

It is designed for all-aspect stealth, supercruise, advanced avionics, sensor fusion, and an internal weapons bay and Mk1 uses US GE F414 engines, while Mk2 aims for a more powerful, indigenously developed engine (with foreign collaboration).

Link is originally taken from: https://bit.ly/4jjdQsY

Samachar App: watch the live latest news of India and the world, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Samachar App now to keep up with daily breaking news.  

Like and Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram