In a significant advancement, the Cabinet Committee on Security has approved the initiative for the design and development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.

The ambitious venture, projected to cost approximately Rs 15,000 crore, will be led by the Aeronautical Development Agency of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with an array of private and public sector entities.

The plan includes constructing about five prototypes within the next five years.

Industry partners, including the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), are expected to participate in the production of the prototype.

The government has been working towards the development of indigenous technologies and the military industry.

The Defence Ministry anticipates that the fifth-generation aircraft project will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and the procurement orders from the Indian Air Force have the potential to generate business amounting to hundreds of thousands of crores for Indian entities and also generate employment on a large scale.

The AMCA Mk-1 is anticipated to be introduced into operational roles after 2030, with the first two squadrons expected to be equipped with GE-414 engines.

Negotiations are underway with France and Britain to explore the possibility of jointly developing more powerful engines for the AMCA Mk-2, an even more advanced version of the AMCA.

India is likely to induct over 200 of these powerful fifth-generation fighters and the planes would also help India to develop future generations of fighter jets within the country.

Image source: OpIndia