New Delhi:Moving ahead with the process to manufacture India's own fifth generation fighter jet, the government has issued Request For Proposal (RFP). The Defence Ministry issued the RFP for the mega indigenous fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project to the three private bidders - Larsen and Toubro-Bharat Electronics Limited, Tata Advanced Systems and Bharat Forge-BEML. The bid will be opened on 28 July. Tata is going ahead alone with the manufacturing and the other two are doing jointly. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to induct around 120 AMCA aircraft.

In a significant shift for India’s defence sector, a highly advanced and strategically critical fighter aircraft programme may, for the first time, be spearheaded by private companies instead of a state-run entity such as Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). The move is intended to significantly expand private sector involvement in defence manufacturing, with the government targeting a share of over 50 per cent. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had recently reaffirmed this objective as part of the Centre’s broader defence production push.

Last year in May, Singh approved the "execution model" for a mega project to indigenously develop a fifth-generation deep penetration Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft for the IAF. Only three other countries, the US, Russia, and China, have developed the 5th generation aircraft so far. The fifth generation fighter of the countries are USA's - F-35, China's J-35 and Russian Su- 57

The AMCA is a 5th Generation, medium weight, multi role, twin engine low observable fighter being designed & developed based on the requirements defined by Indian Air Force (IAF). Initially, as per the RFP, five prototypes will be developed.. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which is part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is an autonomous agency under the Ministry of Defence involved with the design and development of Aircraft for the Indian Armed Forces.

The project aims to create a medium-weight, deep-penetration fighter jet with advanced stealth features. The development comes in the backdrop of the high-stakes aerial face-off between India and Pakistan that saw comparisons between India's Rafale and Pakistan’s J-10C, and amid aggressive global pitches for stealth platforms such as the American F-35 and Russian Su-57.

Also Read:Big Boost For IAF: India Prepares LoR To Buy More 114 Rafale Jets From France

The AMCA will combine fifth-generation stealth technology with elements of 5.5 and even sixth-generation advancements, making it an ideal aircraft for modern warfare. The project is estimated to cost around Rs 15,000 crore. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will lead the AMCA project in collaboration with private industry partners.

The AMCA will be a 5th-generation indigenous fighter aircraft designed and developed as per the requirements of the Indian Air Force. The First prototype has to be manufactured in 30 months once the Purchase Order will be given. Meanwhile, all five prototypes will have to be produced in 64 months from the date purchase order is issued.

The production of AMCA is planned to start after 2030. It would have capabilities of swing-role, close combat, and precision strike. The aircraft would be fitted with future missiles, standoff weapons, and precision weapons. It is a twin-engine medium multi-role aircraft having a weight of around 25 tonnes.

It is Important for the IAF to fill the gap as Pakistan has already signed contract to procure 40 Chinese manufactured J-35 fifth generation fighters

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