IAF to order around 100 more LCA Mark-1A fighter jets for over USD 8 billion
India achieved major success in the space sector with Chandrayaan-3, the indigenous aerospace sector is all set to receive a major boost as the Indian Air Force has plans to place orders for around 100 more LCA Mark1A fighter jets.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to buy these Made in India aircraft to replace the MiG-21 fighter jets in its fleet has been submitted to the Defence Ministry and all other stakeholders in the national security establishment.
The decision to buy around 100 more of these planes came around the time when Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari held a review meeting of the indigenous fighter jet programme with all entities involved including the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
«The Indian Air Force has decided that it would buy around 100 more of these highly capable LCA Mark-1A fighter jets from the HAL. The proposal in this regard has been submitted to the Defence Ministry.
The project is expected to receive clearance soon to give the biggest ever boost to the private defence aerospace sector,» defence officials told ANI.
The order would mean that the LCA Tejas fighters would renter the Indian Air Force in very large numbers. The IAF will have 40 LCA, over 180 LCA Mark-1A and at least 120 LCA Mark-2 planes in the next 15 years.
The last order for LCA Mark1A was for 83 aircraft and the first plane would be delivered around February 2024.
