HAL has already replied to a Request for Information (RFI) from Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Malaysia, in February 2019 for light combat aircraft(LAC).
New Delhi administration on Monday announced that the United States and Australia are among the nations which have indicated an appeal in India-manufactured Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. Malaysia has already shortlisted Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.
On Friday, Ajay Bhatt, Minister of State (Defence), announced that different from Malaysia, the “Other nations which have shown curiosity in LCA Tejas aircraft are Australia, Argentina, Egypt, United States America, Indonesia, and the Philippines.”
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has already replied to a Request for Information (RFI) obtained from Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Malaysia, in February 2019 for LCA category aircraft.
“Later, HAL in October 2021 replied to Request For Proposal (RFP) allocated against tender released by Royal Malaysian Air Force, Malaysia for 18 number of Fighter Lead In Trainer – Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT – LCA) and HAL offered LCA Tejas twin-seater variant,” said MoS.
Tejas, fabricated by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, is a single-engine multi-role fighter jet qualified to operate in high-threat air environments.
In February last year, the defence ministry closed a Rs 48,000 crore contract with HAL to procure 83 Tejas light warfare aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Responding to questioning in Lok Sabha on Tejas, Bhatt expressed that HAL replied to a Request for Information (RFI) or initial tender acquired from Royal Malaysian Air Force in February 2019.
Later, the HAL answered in October 2021 to a Request For Proposal (RFP) published by Malaysia for 18 jets, counting the twin-seater variant of the Tejas.
Malaysia is procuring the aircraft to return its aged Russian MiG-29 fighter aircraft.
The number of aircraft Malaysia is examining at procuring is not directly evident.
“Other countries which have shown curiosity in LCA fighter jets are Argentina, Australia, Egypt, United States of America, Indonesia, and the Philippines,” he expressed.
The previous month, the then Chairman and MD of HAL R Madhavan expressed the Tejas jet had appeared as the top choice for Malaysia.
To an individual query on whether the administration offers to simulate a stealth fighter jet, Bhatt expressed “yes” and measured the “independent flying branch technology demonstrator” has been successfully tried by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
“Further, the selected knowledge is sharp in character, and its exposure is not in the attraction of federal protection,” he expressed.