Proposals for acquisition of aircraft carrier, LCA Mk1A jets lined up for approval by DAC

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) is set to review two significant proposals with a cumulative budget exceeding 1 lakh crore. These proposals come from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, presenting ambitious plans for the country’s defense capabilities.

Navy’s Repeat Order for Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)-II:

Objective

• The Navy has proposed a repeat order of an Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)-II, following the success of the INS Vikrant.
• This carrier is estimated to cost around 40,000 crore.

Key Features

• IAC-II, displacing 45,000 tonnes, will incorporate modifications and newer technologies, enhancing the original design.
• It will be manufactured by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).

Approval Status

•  The proposal has already been cleared by the Defence Procurement Board (DPB) and is expected to be discussed at the upcoming DAC meeting.

Indian Air Force’s Request for 97 LCA-MK1A Fighters

Objective

• The Indian Air Force is seeking 97 additional Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-MK1A fighters to bolster its aerial capabilities.
• This request is estimated to cost approximately 67,000 crore.

Background

• This request comes in addition to the 83 LCA-MK1A fighters previously ordered from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Implications

• If approved, this expansion would result in a total of 180 LCA-MK1A jets and 220 jets of the MK1 variant, significantly strengthening the IAF’s fleet.

Delivery Timeline

• As per the 2021 contract with HAL, three LCA-MK1A jets are scheduled for delivery in February 2024, with subsequent deliveries of 16 aircraft per year for the following five years.

Sukhoi Upgrade Proposal

Objective

• The Defence Procurement Board (DPB) is scheduled to discuss a proposal for the major upgrade of 84 SU-30MKI fighter jets, estimated to cost just over 6,000 crore.

Indigenous Effort

•  The upgrade of these jets will be primarily an indigenous effort, with an impressive 78% indigenous content.
• Russia, the original equipment manufacturer, will collaborate on specific aspects such as the fly-by-wire system and system integration.

Uttam AESA Radar Integration

• The proposal includes integrating the indigenous Uttam Advanced Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) into these upgraded jets.

Find More Defence News Here