HAL Tejas, Sukhoi-30MKI, and Rafael, along with Navy's HAL, Naval Tejas, and MiG-29s in the Air Force, will be replaced this 5th generation indigenous fighter jet

India will now manufacture the fifth-generation fighter aircraft on its own under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Currently, Rafael fighter jets coming from France are of 4.5 generation, while America, Russia, and France have developed next-generation aircraft.

Therefore, India has decided to manufacture the fifth generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft on its own, while reducing the dependence on foreign companies and promoting 'Self-reliant India' and 'Make in India' mission. For this, work has started on fast-forwarding the scheme, pending for three years.

Thus, the detailed design of AMCA has been finalized, and now better engines are being sought.

India Will Make Its Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft

India had decided to work with Russia to build the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) after it signed a deal with France in 2016 for 36 Rafale jets of 4.5 generation. Under this plan, the Indian Air Force was to produce fifth-generation fighter aircraft based on the Russian aircraft Sukhoi-57.

A total of 43 changes were to be made to Sukhoi-57, including advanced sensors, networking, and combat avionics. The scheme was put on hold in 2017 to promote indigenisation and reduce dependence on foreign technology.

Now India has decided to manufacture the fifth generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft on its own while reducing the reliance on foreign companies and promoting 'Self-reliant India' and 'Make in India' missions. Therefore, work has been started on fast-forwarding the scheme, which has been pending for three years.

These Companies Have Been Given Responsibility

Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is an Indian program to develop fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) are designing this fighter aircraft, while Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will build the plane based on this design.

ADA has also designed the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. Therefore it was given the responsibility to develop the fifth-generation fighter aircraft. The detailed design was finalized in February 2019 after completion of the study on the preliminary design.

A CAD model of the plane was shown at Aero India-2019.

What Will Be The Specialties

The fifth-generation indigenous fighter jet will play various roles apart from air superiority, ground attack, bombing, and an interception. It will be capable of defeating previous generation fighters with super cruise, stealth, and advanced AESA radars, super movability, data fusion, and advanced avionics with many ground and sea defence systems.

HAL Tejas, Sukhoi-30MKI, and Rafael, along with Navy's HAL, Naval Tejas, and MiG-29s in the Air Force, will be replaced this 5th generation indigenous fighter jet.

The indigenous fighter jet is intended to succeed Jaguar, Mirage-2000, and MiG-27 in the Indian Air Force. It will be the third supersonic jet of Indian origin after HAL's HF-Marut and HAL Tejas.

According to the Indian Air Force and Aeronautical Development Agency, India's first 5th generation fighter jet requires an engine that has future development potential for use in 6th generation unmanned programs.

India is in talks with a British company for this. The company has promised to jointly develop a new engine, which will not be based on the engine EJ-200 of American stealth aircraft.

As per the plan, it will be an all-weather multipurpose fighter aircraft with single-seat and twin-engine. India's first fifth-generation fighter jet is planned to be launched in 2024.

A total of four prototypes are initially planned, with the first flight expected to take place in 2025 or 2026, and begin production in 2029.

Air Chief Marshal Air Marshal RKS Bhadoria also said that we had put our faith in the indigenous 5th generation aircraft at the annual press conference on Monday. It will be our mainstay after a decade.

The AMCA will feature the sixth generation. Air Marshal Sandeep Singh also said that there are plans to include Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft into the Air Force major by the end of this decade.