In a major boost to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, Defence Minister Rajnath on Tuesday approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model to develop fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is set to execute the programme through Industry partnership. The entire cost of the project will be Rs 15,000 crore (approx.).
“The Execution Model approach provides equal opportunities to both private and public sectors on competitive basis. They can bid either independently or as joint venture or as consortia. The entity/bidder should be an Indian company compliant with the laws and regulations of the country,” the Defence Ministry said.
“This is an important step towards harnessing the indigenous expertise, capability and capacity to develop the AMCA prototype, which will be a major milestone towards Aatmanirbharta in the aerospace sector,” it added.
The ADA will shortly issue an Expression of Interest (EoI) for the AMCA Development Phase.
Last year, the cabinet committee on security led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given in-principle approval to the mega project.
The first AMCA is likely to be delivered by 2035. “This journey began only in 2024, when the Cabinet Committee on Security sanctioned the project,” Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Samir V Kamat had previously said as reported by News18. “It will take ten years, and we have committed to delivering the platform by 2035,” he added.
What Is AMCA – 5th Gen Fighter Aircraft?
The AMCA is a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet being developed by India developed by the ADA and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), in collaboration with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and DRDO.
The AMCA is a 25-tonne twin-engine aircraft and has an internal fuel tank of 6.5-tonne capacity, reported News18. It has advanced stealth features. The fifth-generation fighter jet also reportedly has an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Electronic Pilot to support advanced decision-making in combat scenarios. The aircraft will also be equipped with net-centric warfare systems, Integrated Vehicle Health Management for predictive maintenance and an internal weapon bay for a range of weapons, reported India Today.
According to a report published by The Indian Express, the internal weapons bay can hold up to four long-range air-to-air missiles and several precision-guided weapons, with a total payload capacity of 1,500 kg internally.
List Of Countries Having 5th-Gen Aircraft:
USA
F-22 Raptor – First 5th gen jet; unmatched air superiority.
F-35 Lightning II – Multirole (air-to-air, air-to-ground, electronic warfare). Widely used by NATO allies.
Russia
Su-57 Felon – Stealth fighter with supermaneuverability; fewer in service.
China
Chengdu J-20 – Long-range stealth fighter with advanced sensors.
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