HAL aims to start delivering LCA Mk-1A fighters to IAF by year-end
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited plans to begin handing over the LCA Mk-1A light combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force before the end of the year, pending final radar and weapons integration work.
Ravi K, newly appointed head of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, announced that the final technical tweaks on the LCA Mk-1A are underway, with radar adjustments and weapons-integration tests expected to be finished in the coming weeks. The Indian Air Force has ordered 180 Mk-1A fighters across two contracts—83 aircraft in February 2021 and 97 in September 2025—valued at a combined ₹1.1 lakh crore. Deliveries under the first contract are projected to start in December, and HAL aims to provide about 10 jets in the 2026-27 fiscal year, having already secured 10 GE Aerospace engines and 27 ready airframes.
The newer batch will feature higher indigenous content, including the Uttam AESA radar and Swayam Raksha Kavach electronic-warfare suite, reducing reliance on imported systems. HAL also outlined progress on the LCA Mk-2 programme, with the airframe assembled and a ground run targeted for March 2027, while negotiations continue with GE Aerospace on joint production of the more powerful F414 engine.
Why it matters
The delivery schedule affects India's ability to close a critical fighter shortfall and modernise its air combat capability.
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