Rajnath Singh approves AMCA to build India’s 5th Gen. Fighter Aircraft
Defence
5 min read
The Defence Minister, Rajanath Singh, has approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model, which aims to build India’s fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
In March 2024, the Union Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the design and development of the AMCA.
The Indian Air Force's most advanced fighter plane is currently the Rafale, a 4.5-generation fighter plane from Dassault Aviation of France.
The indigenously developed Tejas MK-1A is also claimed to be a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter aircraft.
Who will design the AMCA?
- The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will design the fifth-generation fighter plane to be developed under AMCA.
- The ADA has also designed the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, which is being manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Invitation to the Private Sector
For the first time, private companies can also participate in manufacturing the fifth-generation fighter plane that the ADA will design.
According to the Defence Ministry, HAL will have to bid to develop the prototype of the AMCA designed by ADA.
Till now, only the government-owned HAL has been used to manufacture the fighter planes in India.
This is part of the government’s Make In India initiative, launched in 2014 and the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, launched in 2020, which encouraged the private sector to make India a manufacturing hub.
The defence sector was opened to the private sector in 2011.
Which country has fifth-generation fighter aircraft
Currently, only three countries in the world have fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
- The United States has the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft, which were developed by Lockheed Martin in the United States.
- China has the J-20 Mighty Dragon, manufactured by Chengdu Aerospace Corporation. It is also developing the J-35 plane.
- Russia has the SU-57, which the Sukhoi Design Bureau of Russia has developed.
Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft
The F-22 Raptor of Lockheed Martin is considered to be the world’s first fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
Its improved design increased its stealth capability, virtually making it impossible to detect on radars.
The plane is equipped with advanced software that gives the fighter pilot a 360-degree picture of his environment. It means that the pilot does not have to manoeuvre the aircraft in the direction of the enemy aircraft to sense its presence.
The pilot can engage and destroy the enemy aircraft before the enemy even becomes aware of its presence.
It is a multi-role aircraft with beyond visual range missiles, counter-electronic warfare suites, etc.
Multi-role aircraft can engage in an air-to-air fight and attack the target on the ground.
These features give the fifth-generation fighter plane an edge over its adversaries and ensure air dominance in a war.
