Syllabus,
GS3: Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology; Indigenization of Technology and Developing New Technology.
Context:
Recently, the Defence Minister approved the execution model for India’s fifth-generation fighter jet programme, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
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- Unlike past projects directly handed to the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), this time, HAL will need to bid independently or in partnership with other firms to secure the manufacturing contract.
- The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will be the nodal agency for executing the programme and designing the aircraft.
- The ADA is expected to have the first flight of the aircraft within five years after the cabinet approval.
- The total duration of development of the aircraft is expected to be around 10 years from now.
- Five prototypes will be built before HAL begins manufacturing the aircraft.
- The decision supports Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in the aerospace sector by tapping into indigenous capability and capacity.
- It comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor, showcasing IAF’s fighter jets and air-launched weapons, including Rafale jets.
Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)
The AMCA will be India’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA), which will be bigger than other fighters in the Indian Air Force (IAF) inventory.
An FGFA integrates advanced stealth, supercruise (achieving supersonic speeds without afterburners), super-maneuverability, data fusion, and multi-sensor integration into a single fighter aircraft.
The development of AMCA will build upon the expertise gained in developing Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
- LCA Tejas is a 4.5-generation single-engine multi-role aircraft.
The US, Russia, and China are the only countries to have developed such advanced jets.
Currently, there are only four operational fifth-generation fighters in the world –
- U.S. – F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lightning II
- China – J-20 Mighty Dragon,
- Russia – Sukhoi Su-57