The recent test flight of India’s homemade Tejas Mk 1A light combat fighter jet pits it directly against Pakistan’s JF-17, in a heated subcontinent contest for air supremacy and global sales. Both fighters are built for similar military missions and requirements, and are poised to compete on budget fighter world markets.
The Tejas Mk 1A demonstrated significant upgrades in its first flight in March, including new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, updated avionics, a comprehensive electronic warfare capability and minor changes to the internal structure and outer mold line, The Warzone reported.
India’s Tejas jet is closer in size and weight to lightweight combat jets typically developed from existing trainers like the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 and Sweden’s Saab Gripen. However, India’s light fighter program has suffered from delays and issues with the General Electric F404 turbofan engine, which is reportedly underpowered for the Tejas.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been working since 2016 on an upgraded version of the Tejas Mk 1A with a reported budget of US$5.9 billion. The IAF received two Mk 1A aircraft last month and is now contemplating increasing the initial order to 180.
The Warzone mentions that the Tejas Mk 2 is now being planned as a “second generation” version, with many envisioned improvements on the Mk 1 and Mk 1A.
The Tejas, which first flew in 2016 and is part of India’s four-decade-old drive to build indigenous military aircraft, are estimated to cost US$37.8 million per Mk 1A unit. Significantly, the first batch of 40 Tejas Mk 1 planes was not built to full production configuration.
India’s Tejas Mk 1A is comparable to the JF-17 flown by rivals Pakistan and China. Both light combat aircraft types are designed as low-cost fighters for cash-strapped air forces. They are comparable in development and cost, technical specifications and capabilities, and export potential.
On development and cost, India Aerospace and Defense Bulletin notes in a November 2023 article that the Tejas was conceptualized as a replacement for the IAF’s MiG-21s, which were first acquired from Russia in the 1960s and will eventually become the backbone of the IAF with a planned 870 units.
That can’t happen soon enough in light of the alarming crash record of the IAF’s MiG-21s, as documented by the India Aerospace and Defense Bulletin. While India’s MiG-21s have been upgraded over the years, the 2019 shootdown of one by a Pakistani F-16 or JF-17 may have definitively shown the aircraft’s obsolescence.
In January 2024, Asia Times noted that the JF-17, which first flew in 2003, is a joint project between the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Complex (CAC). Early JF-17 airframes were exclusively made in China but now Pakistan builds 58% of the aircraft and the remaining 42% in China.
While the JF-17’s relatively low price of US$15-25 million makes it viable for developing world air forces, it is not designed to take on advanced fighters such as the F-22 and F-35 but rather for use against lightly armed insurgents or adversaries with basic air defenses.
As India’s Tejas and Pakistan’s JF-17 were designed according to similar requirements for low-cost fighter jets, they have similar technical characteristics.
India Defense Research Wing (IDRW) noted in July 2023 that the first 21 Tejas Mk 1A airframes will have the Israeli ELTA ELM-2052 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar while development and integration of India’s indigenous Uttam radar gets up to speed.
Airforce Technology notes that the Tejas fighter jet’s cockpit has advanced displays, a return-to-home base panel and keyboard. The same report says Bharat Electronics created the displays while the government-owned Central Scientific Instruments Organization (CSIO) developed the head-up display (HUD).
Airforce Technology states that the Tejas features a helmet-mounted display and sight, hands-on throttle and stick control system (HOTAS), fly-by-wire digital automatic flight control and an inertial navigation system with integrated GPS. It also notes that the cockpit includes an environmental control system and avionics suite with various systems such as a ground proximity warning system and GPS.
All Tejas variants will have a 30mm Russian GSh-30-1 gun, which the IAF has extensive experience in using and maintaining, and use several foreign and Indian-made weapons.
Janes noted in December 2023 that the JF-17 Block III uses the Chinese KLJ-7A AESA radar, with a claimed maximum range of 170 kilometers. Furthermore, PakDefense notes in a June 2022 article that the JF-17 Block III has an advanced avionics suite, HOTAS, advanced datalink systems, night-vision compatible displays, infrared search and track (IRST), and GPS/GLONASS capability.
Airforce Technology notes that the JF-17 can be armed with a Russian GSh-23 dual-barrel 23-millimeter or GSh-30 dual-barrel 30-millimeter cannon. The same report says the JF-17 can use China’s PL family of AAMs and the US-made AIM-9L alongside various unguided bombs, satellite-guided bombs, rockets, anti-ship missiles and anti-radiation missiles.
While India’s Tejas has yet to be sold for export, the JF-17 has already won significant international sales.
However, both aircraft have many technical issues and political strings attached. New Indian Express reported in December 2023 that Argentina, Nigeria, Botswana, Egypt and the Philippines have expressed interest in buying Tejas.
However, New Indian Express noted that the Tejas has 15 UK-made components, a concern for Argentina considering its long-running dispute with the UK over the Falkland Islands.
Girish Lingana claimed in a Business Upturn article last month that Tejas still suffers from several technical issues, including poor serviceability rates, light payload, short range, unreliable GE 404 engines, inferior technology compared to more established fighter models and poor cost-to-capability ratio.
In contrast, Asia Times has mentioned that the JF-17 is a rare bright spot in China’s relatively dismal fighter jet export record. The JF-17 is the most-exported modern Chinese fighter jet, with 145 airframes shipped as of October 2021 and an expected increase of 185 units by the decade’s end.
However, The Irrawaddy reported in November 2022 that Myanmar’s JF-17s have been plagued with structural cracks and poor radar accuracy. The Irrawaddy also points out that the JF-17’s systems have proven too complex for Myanmar’s inexperienced pilots, forcing them to rely on older jets such as the Yak-130, MiG-29, and K-8.
The JF-17’s use of Russian RD-93 engines may also raise possible buyer concerns about secondary Western sanctions stemming from Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
there are reports that not even india’s air force wanna fly the tejas and they only bought it because modi forced it upon them …
You should only write about things that you are knowledgeable in.