NEWS – Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the design and manufacture of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Rs 15,000 crore approval
• Development and production of five prototypes in the next five years
• First two squadrons are to be powered by the GE-414 engines – later versions will be flown by a made-in-India engine
• Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Aeronautical Development Agency would develop the twin-engine stealth fighter jet and associated technologies
• Globally there are four fifth-generation aircraft – F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lightning-II from the USA; J-20 of China and Su-57 from Russia
• Features of Such platforms – stealth, low-probability-of-intercept radar, agile airframes with super cruise performance, advanced avionics features, and highly integrated computer systems capable of networking with other elements
• Fifth generation fighter aircraft, due to their very special features, are costlier than fourth generation fighter aircraft. But since AMCA is an indigenous fifth generation aircraft, it is less costlier than similar aircraft available outside
• While the top brass of the IAF hopes that the DRDO and ADA will be able to deliver the AMCA by the beginning of next decade
• India earlier joined hands with Russia to develop a fifth generation fighter aircraft which was not executed