The metal cutting is started for MWF (Medium Weight Fighter) Tejas MK2 by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The aircraft is scheduled to roll out in mid of 2022 most likely in August 2022.
In an recent interview to Anantha Krishnan, Dr. Girish Deodhare Program Director ADA (Aeronautical Developmental Agency) confirms that Tejas MK2 is going to roll out in mid of 2022 and the first schedule in 2023.
Answering on what is happening on Tejas MK2 front, ADA Program Director said, “Mark 2 design is complete, the long lives part are being fabricated and in HAL now the aircraft is coming into reality, it is on track and we don’t see any problem there. We are also close to many wind tunnel test which are ongoing and some are coming up very shortly,”
Tejas MK2 metal cutting ceremony was scheduled to begin from February 2021, but Girish Deodhare confirms that the metal cutting is already started, all the raw material is procured and by the end of 2021 the aircraft will reach advance stage of production. First flight is scheduled in mid of 2023.
Talking about the percentage of work completed in Tejas MK2, Dr Girish said, “We are well beyond the PDR (Preliminary Design Review) and we are reaching the CDR (Critical Design Review) stage by the end of this year. So we could say more than 50-60% of the work is over,”
“Now the beauty of MK2 is it uses all the technologies that have natured in LCA, Tejas MK2 is just a consolation of all the technologies, which took all these years to master and put it into a more bigger and capable platform with higher payload carrying capacity,” he added.
More than 300 industries have taken part in the production of LCA and all of them will continue for Tejas MK2 as they have develop expertise in their work.
As of now, HAL had strictly maintained the ambitious timelines of Tejas MK2 and it will be very interesting to see if MK2 manages to hit production by 2026-27.
Currently 3 fighter aircraft of India’s i.e, Advance Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) & Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) is at their different stages of development for Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. It will now depend upon HAL & ADA that how they will going to meet deadline.