In a boost to the HAL’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program and development of the country’s indigenous critical defence technology, India’s DRDO and French engine-maker Safran are likely to sign a deal for the joint development of a 125kN engine for the fifth-generation aircraft in the next two months.
“External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar discussed this issue with French Defence Minister Florence Parly during his visit to Paris [last week]. We expect to have an agreement in a month or two,” The Hindu quoted a defence official saying.
The objective of the AMCA program is to develop indigenous fighter jets for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. It will be developed in a public-private partnership.
Two variants of the AMCA will be produced, AMCA MK1 and AMCA MK2. The former will be powered by General Electric engines and the latter will boast the indigenous, powerful engine, as per Girish S. Deodhare, Director General of the Aeronautical Development Authority (ADA), who spoke at an event last week.
ADA has the job of designing the frame of the AMCA. Dr. Deodhare said that the Preliminary Service Quality Requirements (PSQR) has been finalized and the preliminary design review has been achieved as well, the report further says.
“We are moving to critical design review by the middle of next year with the roll-out planned in 2024 and first flight planned in 2025,” Dr. Deodhare had said at an event last year.
The AMCA will boast an “internal weapons bay” and a “diverterless supersonic” inlet.
The AMCA will be a twin-engine, 25-tonne aircraft which is expected to have a maximum speed of Mach2.15 (2633.84kmph).
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It will boast an advanced version of solid-state gallium arsenide-based active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar under development by the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE).
Also under progress is the development of twin engine deck-based jet which will serve on the aircraft carriers of the Indian Navy.
The only other indigenous engine in service today is the Shakti engine, which was also developed in coordination with Safran. The Shakti engine powers India’s Light Combat Helicopters.
The development cost of the AMCA is expected to be around INR15,000 crore.
