"Radiance"), or Medium Weight Fighter (MWF),[2] is an Indian single-engine, canard delta wing, multirole combat aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in collaboration with Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC)[3] of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
More foreign components are replaced by locally developed ones that are sufficiently matured as ADA and DRDO will carry forward some of the critical technologies from the LCA programme.
[23] However, in December 2023 a revised schedule with a fresh four-year delay was announced due to waiting upon the government to provide development funding for the program and the government increasing the requirement for parts indigenization from 65% to 80%, these factors resulted in the first aircraft rollout now not being expected until late 2026 or early 2027 and the first test flight now not expected to occur until 2028.
The meeting was attended by Indian Air Force Deputy Chief Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Director Generals of all the DRDO labs which are a part of the programme, the Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC) and National Flight Test Centre under Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA).
[25] The prototype fabriation, overseen by Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) of the IAF, is set to begin in September 2024 as most of the small equipment along with the fuselage section has reached the assembly facility in Bengaluru.
[29][30] Apart from design commonalities and a few critical systems from its predecessor Tejas Mark 1A, most of the technologies are to be borrowed from whatever has been developed so far for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme.
Several radar cross-section-reducing measures will be incorporated in the airframe design so that a degree of frontal stealth can be achieved, including radar-absorbent material coating and composites making up its skin and twisted air-intake ducts.
[36] During Exercise Tarang Shakti on August 16, 2024, at Sulur Air Force Station, MRF presented its Aero-Muscle tire, which was designed primarily for the Tejas Mark 2.
[37][38] The avionics of Tejas Mark 2 will be centered on multisensor data fusion incorporating both active and passive sensors on board.
The Tejas Mark 2 would be equipped with a variant of Uttam AESA Radar developed by Electronics and Radar Development Establishment, an integrated Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system for passive target acquisition, a Unified Electronic Warfare Suite (UEWS) for survivability and a new Digital Flight Control Computer (DFCC).
The Tejas Mark 2 will have indigenous software-defined radio-based tactical data link for secured communication and network-centric warfare capabilities supported by Air Force Network digital information grid.
In 2008, HAL issued a fresh request for proposal for the procurement of 95- to 100-kilonewton (kN) (21,000–23,000 lbf) thrust-class engine to power the Tejas Mark 2.
[51][52] On 22 June 2023, HAL and GE signed a Memorandum of Understanding that clarified the joint production of jet engine in India.
[56] As of September 2024, the Government of India is to form a negotiating committee for finalising the deal with representatives from Ministry of Defence, HAL, ADA and GTRE.
[57] Indian Air Force – 10 squadrons[58] Data from Jane's Defence Weekly,[13] Onmanorama,[39] Defexpo 2020 and Aero India 2021General characteristics Performance Armament Avionics Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era