First LCA-Mk2 prototype likely to roll out by end of year, AMCA by early 2027

A view of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) fighter aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), on Sunday
| Photo Credit: ANI

The first prototype of the country’s fifth-generation fighter jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft or AMCA, is expected to roll out by the end of 2026 or early 2027, while the first prototype of the Light Combat Aircraft-Mk2, which is a bigger and more capable version of the LCA, is expected by the end of this year, said officials from Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). The two programmes are critical for the Indian Air Force’s modernisation plans, with force strength down to 31 fighter squadrons.

“The LCA-MK2 is in very advanced stage. All the jigs and fixtures have been completed. The airframe is on the assembly line. We will be making a roll out by year-end and flying in the first quarter of 2026,” said Jitendra J. Jadhav, Director-General of ADA.

“We are very confident it will get inducted from 2028-29, he said, adding “It has all indigenously weapons and about 11 weapon stations. So it will be one of the mighty lethal weapon platforms for the IAF.”

Given the huge delays in new inductions and rapid modernisation of fighters by China and Pakistan, there is pressure to speed up development process.

“The full-stealth AMCA aircraft programme was sanctioned by the government in April 2024. The development phase has just begun and we are anticipating that this aircraft will touch the sky towards the end of 2028. The total duration of the development phase is 10 years. The aircraft will be certified by 2032 and the plan for induction will be 2034 in the IAF,” said Krishna Rajendra Neeli, Outstanding Scientist and Officiating Project Director of the AMCA programme, speaking to The Hindu at Aero India 2025.

The AMCA is a fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) and its primary role is as a stealth aircraft. While armament of around 1.5 tonnes can be carried internally, the AMCA can also carry weapons at its wing station as a non-stealth aircraft, Mr. Neeli elaborated.

In terms of timelines, Mr. Neeli explained that five prototypes are planned to be manufactured for development and testing and initially, four aircraft would be manufactured per year for a couple of years, by which time the manufacturing line will stabilise to ramp up production.

The AMCA project is particularly critical as it is India’s only FGFA that is planned for induction at a time when a series of such FGFA development projects are already inducted or in advanced stages. China has made great progress in the development and deployment of FGFAs, with two jets already deployed, and had recently unveiled two near-sixth generation jets.

The AMCA project got sanction from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in March 2024. It is envisaged as a 25-tonne twin engine stealth aircraft with internal weapons bay and Diverterless Supersonic Intake which has been developed in India for the first time. It is intended to have an internal carriage of 1,500 kg of payload and 5,500 kg of external payload, with 6,500 kg of internal fuel.

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which is the production agency for the project, has already initiated manufacturing activities. The development is planned to be carried out in two phases, a MK1 with the General Electric F414 98 kN engine and a Mk2 with a 110 kN engine planned to be co-developed in partnership with Saran of France for which discussions are under way.