By Asia Samachar | India |
Indian fighter jet Tejas have emerged as a ‘top contender’ as Malaysia scouts for new light fighter jets.
India has emerged as the frontrunner for a Malaysian requirement of light combat aircraft, with a package deal on the table that would include maintenance and spares for the nation’s Russian origin Su 30 fighter jets, reports The Economic Times.
India has offered an attractive financial package for its Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and has committed that it can keep Malaysia’s fleet of Su 30 jets flightworthy, given the vast spares reserve and technical expertise available with Hindustan Aeronautics
Other contenders for the deal — primarily South Korea and China — are not in a position to offer this package as they do not have backend contracts with Russian manufacturers to work on the Sukhoi fighters. Malaysia has 18 of the Su 30 MKM fighters, which are very similar to the MKI version that is in service with the Indian Air Force, the report added.
It is learnt that detailed discussions on the dual package have taken place and a final decision may be possible under the government to government route. Several nations like Malaysia have been impacted by western sanctions on Russia that have made ordering spares and other supplies for legacy military equipment challenging, it added.
The Malaysian air force has been scouting for 18 new light fighter jets, with the Indian LCA emerging as a top contender given its low acquisition cost and high technical ratings, the report said.
In a separate report, PTI said that Malaysia has narrowed down on the Indian aircraft notwithstanding the stiff competition from China’s JF-17 jet, South Korea’s FA-50 and Russia’s Mig-35 as well as Yak-130.
As part of the package, India has offered to set up an MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facility in Malaysia for its Russian-origin Su-30 fighter fleet as it is facing difficulties in procuring spares for the aircraft from Russia in view of western sanctions against Moscow.
“I am very confident about it unless some political shift takes place,” the report quoted Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) chairman and managing director R Madhavan.
Tejas is a single engined, light weight, highly agile, multi-role supersonic fighter. It has quadruplex digital fly-by-wire Flight Control System (FCS) with associated advanced flight control laws, according to the company’s website. The aircraft with delta wing is designed for ‘air combat’ and ‘offensive air support’ with ‘reconnaissance’ and ‘anti-ship’ as its secondary roles. Extensive use of advanced composites in the airframe gives a high strength to weight ratio, long fatigue life and low radar signatures. Aeronautical Development Agency is the designated project manager for the development of LCA.
HAL is the principal partner in the LCA programme with Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) acting as the Program Co-ordinator.
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