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Tejas Mk2 Airframe Assembled: Rafale's Younger Brother Set to Boost India's Defense Market
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News18•21-09-2026, 11:28
Tejas Mk2 Airframe Assembled: Rafale's Younger Brother Set to Boost India's Defense Market
- •The airframe of the Tejas Mk2 fighter jet has been successfully assembled, marking a major success in India's indigenous fighter jet development.
- •Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) completed the structural assembly for the first prototype, targeting the first ground run by March 2027.
- •Tejas Mk2 will be powered by GE Aerospace's F414-INS6 engine, with joint production in India under discussion.
- •This 4.5 generation fighter, similar to Rafale, will carry 6.5 tons of weapons and feature 13 hardpoints.
- •Successful deployment of Tejas Mk2 could replace aging aircraft like Jaguar, Mirage-2000, and MiG-29 in the Indian Air Force.
Key Questions Answered
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) aims to conduct the first ground run of the Tejas Mk2 aircraft by March 2027, with its maiden flight planned for mid to late 2027.
The Tejas Mk2 will be powered by GE Aerospace's F414-INS6 afterburning turbofan engine. HAL and GE Aerospace are currently in talks for joint production of this engine in India with about 80 percent technology transfer to ensure a stable supply.
The Tejas Mk2 is a 4.5 generation medium-weight fighter jet featuring a close-coupled canard-delta wing design. It is capable of carrying approximately 6.5 tons of weapons across 13 hardpoints, powered by an engine delivering about 98 kilonewtons of thrust for a maximum speed around Mach 1.8.
