Mark 2 Tejas revealed . 1st Flight 2023

[akshay gehlot]

This is a different category fighter, LCA was light fighter and this is MWF.

When did we changed the design? Tejas MK1 and Tejas MK1A has the same design.
MWF is a separate fighter Aircraft misrepresented as Tejas MK2.

Misrepresented is incorrect imo .... The earlier plans were that Tejas Mk2 would build upon Mk1A and be the next iteration the series ( Similar to Gripen going to B/C/D/E/F or Lockheed's Block designation ) but a couple of years ago this pivoted to what we now call the MWF (Medium Weight Fighter ) mainly for 2 reasons

1. The MMRCA contract got delayed and India ordered Rafale's in lower quantities and as a result there will be a bigger need for medium weight fighters once we retire the Mig29's ,Mirages and Jaguars at the end of this decade and even a additional raffy order won't be enough to fulfill that

2. Circa 2015-16 the IAF brass appeared less than happy with the Tejas development and they thought that it would take the Mk2 stage for it to reach their desired performance status ... But the past few years have seen rapid developments, improvements and integrations leading to a much higher level of satisfaction within the IAF about Mk1A and its capabilities , leading to the eventual order of 83 . Now while the Tejas will continue to be improved that will be a gradual development instead of an immediate shift


Both these reasons meant that IAF needed more medium fighters and is displaying more confidence in HAL and ADA's ability to build them thus the shift to a more capable,complex and powerful jet in the MWF

 

[Anik101]

Tejas mk2 will have 968 T/R module AESA Radar.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1392827374421512199