GlobalConflictहिंदी's video: AMCA Update: India 5th Gen Jet AMCA US F-35

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program aims to build a homegrown fifth-generation fighter jet with “sixth-generation characteristics,” intended to replace the aging fleet SEPECAT Jaguar, Dassault Mirage 2000, and MiG-27. The AMCA is eyeing a complementary role for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) air superiority fighters, to serve as a flexible force multiplier with versatile missions. With the AMCA fighter, India will join the elite club of the US, Russia, and China, each of which has developed an indigenous fifth-generation aircraft. The origins of India’s own fighter program dates back to 2018 when the country withdrew from the joint Russian-Indian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program to manufacture a new fighter based on Russia’s Su-57 model. However, military experts suggest that the technical design and projected specifications of AMCA share many similarities with the US F-35, one of the most advanced jets in the world. The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is a program to develop a fifth-generation fighter aircraft. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is responsible for designing the plane and state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is the primary contractor responsible for assembly and development of individual components like landing gear, air-to-air refueling (AAR) probe, and some parts of the composite structure. It is a multi-role combat aircraft designed for air superiority, ground attack, bombing, intercepting, strike, and other missions. After initial approval in funding and design, a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the aircraft was shown at the ‘Aero India’ show in 2019. The proposed fifth-generation “stealth” aircraft will have all-weather capabilities and supercruise capability. It is also planned to have both manned and unmanned operational capability. The indigenous jet will be equipped with advanced AESA radar, supermaneuverability, data fusion, and advanced avionics. Reports suggest that the fighter program will be developed in a joint venture with a private company, something that has not been done in India so far. “We have to decide how we produce the jet after freezing (finalizing) its design. We want to bring in private Indian partners for the production,” R Madhavan, chairman-cum-Managing Director of the HAL, told Indian daily, The Tribune. ADA is reportedly looking to fly the AMCA prototype by 2025 and commence production by 2026-28.