NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Defence has signed a Rs 62, 370 crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, including 68 fighters and 29 twin-seaters, along with associated equipment, for the Indian Air Force, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.
The delivery of these planes would commence during 2027-28 and be completed over a period of six years.
The aircraft will have an indigenous content of over 64 per cent, with 67 additional items incorporated, over and above the previous LCA Mk1A contract signed in January 2021. The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators will further strengthen the Aatmanirbharta initiatives, the statement said.
The project is being supported by a robust vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies directly engaged in the manufacture of detailed components. The production is expected to generate close to 11, 750 direct and indirect jobs per year for the duration of six years, giving a major boost to the domestic aerospace ecosystem.
The acquisition, under the ‘Buy (India-IDDM)’ category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, is in line with the government’s thrust on indigenisation. The LCA Mk1A is the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed and manufactured fighter aircraft and will serve as a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the IAF, the statement said.
The start of deliveries for the first two fully armed Mk 1As of the earlier order is considered a key factor for HAL securing its repeat order worth Rs 67, 000 crore.