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🇮🇳 HAL Tejas
Air · HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) — Hindistan · 2026 (Mk1A ilk teslimat; Mk1 2016'dan beri hizmette)
The HAL Tejas Mk1A is India's indigenously developed single-engine, delta-wing light multi-role fighter; it is the modernized version of the Mk1 featuring AESA radar, fly-by-wire controls and 75% domestic sub-systems. Powered by the GE F404-IN20 engine with EL/M-2052 AESA radar and Astra/Derby/Python-5 weapons, it competes with the JF-17 and FA-50 in the budget-tier indigenous fighter segment. The program's chronic bottleneck is GE's delayed F404 engine deliveries and the integration of weapon-radar software; HAL is imposing penalty clauses on GE over the delays.
Specifications
- Type: Single-engine light multi-role fighter (4.5-gen)
- Maker/Origin: HAL / ADA — India
- Size/Weight: Length ~13.2 m, wingspan ~8.2 m; max takeoff ~13.5 t
- Propulsion: 1 × GE F404-IN20 afterburning turbofan (~85 kN); thrust/weight ~1.07
- Range/Speed: Combat radius ~500 km, ferry ~3,000 km; max Mach 1.8 (~2,200 km/h)
- Radar/Sensor: EL/M-2052 AESA (first 83); indigenous Uttam AESA in 2nd batch; DFCC flight control
- Main armament: 8 hardpoints, ~5.3 t external load; Astra Mk1 BVR, Derby, Python-5, R-73, SPICE-2000, SAAW; 23 mm cannon
- Crew: 1 pilot (single-seat; twin-seat trainer variant available)
- Structure/Signature: 45% composite airframe; RCS ~0.5 m² (low-signature delta, not stealth)
- Indigenous content: >75% (including radar integration, FCC, data-link)
- Contract: 83 units (2021), 97 units second batch approved
Beats: JF-17 Block 3 (Pakistan/Çin) — daha iyi itki/ağırlık oranı (~1.07 vs ~1.03), İsrail EL/M-2052 AESA Çin KLJ-7A'ya göre işlem/iz gücünde üstün, daha modern aviyonik, FA-50 Fighting Eagle (G.Kore) — daha güçlü F404-IN20 motoru (~85 vs ~78.7 kN) ve gerçek BVR yeteneği (Astra/Derby) ile daha yüksek muharebe performansı; FA-50 temelde ileri jet-eğitici, L-159 ALCA (Çekya) — gerçek çok-rollü avcı kapasitesi, AESA radar ve BVR menzili; L-159 hafif hücum/eğitici sınıfında geride
Loses to: F-16V Block 70 (ABD) — olgun seri üretim, kanıtlanmış AN/APG-83 AESA, çok daha geniş silah envanteri ve güvenilir tedarik zinciri, Gripen E/F (İsveç) — üstün menzil/yük, Meteor entegrasyonu, daha güçlü EW suite ve operasyonel olgunluk; tek-motora rağmen daha yetkin, J-10C (Çin) — daha büyük gövde/radar, PL-15 uzun-menzil BVR (~200+ km) ve daha yüksek itki ile hava üstünlüğünde avantajlı
The Tejas Mk1A has not yet reached full operational maturity: as of mid-2026 series deliveries to the IAF had not begun, with the most critical bottleneck being GE's delayed F404-IN20 engine deliveries (99 ordered in Aug 2021, only ~6 delivered as of Apr 2026) and software integration issues between the Israeli radar and the indigenous Astra missile. Its RCS figure denotes a 'low signature' and it is not a stealth aircraft. Scores were kept honest against real operational maturity and proven peers.
Related systems
Related systems (Air): KAAN, Bayraktar KIZILELMA, ANKA-3, Bayraktar TB2, Bayraktar Akıncı, Vyriy OPTO 10, Skydagger, AKBABA, GÖKTUĞ (Gökdoğan/Bozdoğan), SOM
