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| Tejas LCA |
By Kabir Taneja
The Pakistani and Indian fighter jets are set to compete in markets around the world.
The Bahrain International Air Show slated to be held between January 21-23 at the Sakhir Airbase in Bahrain is supposed to be the first international symposium where India will showcase its indigenously built, but much delayed, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas light combat aircraft. This move, reportedly taken at a “political level,” could place the Tejas as an export option in the future and will expose it to much wider scrutiny over its performance and offerings in the international market.
However, even though this may become an exciting time for the Tejas as a potential option for foreign militaries for their arsenal, it has an interesting competitor from its own neighborhood. The JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, jointly developed by China’s Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and its Pakistani partner, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), is also now in the export variety with similar attributes to those of the Tejas. In fact, at the Bahrain air show both the Tejas and the JF-17 are quite literally going to be pitted against each other, as they share parking space on the flight line tarmac right next to each other.
The HAL Tejas is still looking for its “carpe diem” moment, as the Indian Air Force, the project’s main beneficiary, has made no qualms in admitting that it is not pleased about the delays over the Tejas Mk II variant of the model that it urgently wants to induct into its fleet. Meanwhile, manufacturer HAL has offered the IAF a Mk 1A variant instead, saying the Mk II variant is not expected to have its first flight before 2019, or enter series production before 2024. On the other hand, the Block 1 JF-17s have already seen service with the Pakistan Air Force, and are now expected to be upgraded to Block 2 standards (which includes mid-air refuel capabilities and improved avionics).
Read the full story at The Diplomat