CCA approved a nod for the Indigenous 5th-Gen Stealth Fighter Project

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has given permission to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to create the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). 

• The AMCA is a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet. The CCS has also approved the purchase of 34 new Advanced Light Helicopters Dhruv for the Indian Army and Indian Coast Guard. 
• The helicopters are manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and have been in use since 2002. 
• They are operated by the IAF, Indian Navy, Border Security Force (BSF), and state governments. The Indian Army will receive 25 of the helicopters, while the Indian Coast Guard will receive the remaining nine.
• The DRDO's Aeronautical Development Agency will collaborate with various private and public entities to design and develop five AMCA prototypes in about five years at an estimated cost of around ₹15,000 crore. 
• This decision shows that the government is focusing on domestically-produced fifth-generation aircraft instead of buying from foreign equipment manufacturers. This will help promote self-reliance in the defence sector.

About AMCA

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) is working on a new fighter jet called AMCA. The first prototype of this jet is expected to be rolled out in four years, and it will take another year for it to make its maiden flight. 
• After the development and flight-testing of prototypes, the actual production of AMCA by HAL will begin, which will take 9-10 years. The IAF plans to start inducting them by 2035. 
• The AMCA will have advanced stealth features, including a serpentine air intake, an internal bay for smart weapons, radar absorbing materials, and a conformal antenna. It will be able to achieve supersonic cruise speeds without using afterburners and have data fusion and multi-sensor integration with AESA radars. 
• The IAF currently plans to induct seven squadrons (126 jets) of the AMCA. The first two squadrons will be powered by GE-F414 engines in the 98 Kilonewton thrust class, which will be jointly developed with the US. The next five AMCA Mark-2 squadrons will have 110 Kilonewton engines. 
• The AMCA will follow the progressive induction of the Tejas Mark-1A and Mark-2 jets, both of which are critical for IAF because it’s currently grappling with just 31 fighter squadrons when 42.5 are authorized to tackle the China-Pakistan threat. 
• The IAF currently has only 40 Tejas Mark-1 jets powered by GE-F404 engines. Deliveries of the 83 improved Tejas Mark-1A fighters for Rs 46,898 crore will soon begin and will be followed by another 97 such jets for around Rs 67,000 crore. 

Background

• India had a joint venture with Russia to develop a stealth fighter named Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programme.
  • However, the project faced several challenges such as the Indian Air Force's doubts about the Su-57 fighter's stealth capabilities and uncertainty about its Saturn Izdeliye 30 turbofan engine. 
  • Furthermore, India's leadership preferred to invest in domestic defence manufacturing under the "Make in India" plan. Consequently, the FGFA programme was abandoned in 2018.
• The AMCA project, which began in 2011, aims to create a stealthy, single-seat, twin-engine multirole fighter. 
• The project will be led by the ADA and include Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and several private-sector aerospace and defence majors. 
• The manufacturing process of the first AMCA prototype was announced in March 2022.