The government of India has approved the execution model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme in an effort to advance its indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.
Cleared by Indian Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh, the AMCA programme will be implemented by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) through an industry partnership framework.
The approved model is designed to ensure competitive participation from both public and private sectors.
Bidders will have the option to apply either independently, as joint ventures, or as consortia, provided they are Indian companies compliant with national laws and regulations.
A press statement from Indian Ministry of Defence reads: “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 Aatmanirbhartain the aerospace sector.”
ADA is expected to issue an expression of interest (EoI) shortly for the development phase of the AMCA.
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By GlobalDataThe Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) granted its approval for the AMCA project, which represents the nation’s solitary fifth-generation fighter initiative, in March 2024. The project, featuring a 25-tonne twin-engine stealth aircraft, has been sanctioned with an estimated budget of Rs150bn, reported The Hindu.
The aircraft will include features such as an internal weapons bay and diverterless supersonic intake—both developed in India for the first time.
The publication previously disclosed that the blueprint for the AMCA has been finalised. The inaugural prototype is anticipated to be unveiled between 2028 and 2029, with manufacturing projected to commence in the timeframe of 2032 to 2033. The goal is set to ensure that the aircraft is prepared for integration into service by the year 2034.
The AMCA is designed to carry a payload of 1,500kg internally and an additional 5,500kg externally, with a fuel capacity of 6,500kg.
Earlier this year, a defence committee recommended the inclusion of private firms in military aircraft production to strengthen the Indian Air Force and ease the workload on HAL, which currently handles the bulk of the country’s military aircraft manufacturing, reported Reuters.
