India Boosts Self-Reliance: Homegrown Radar to Power Tejas Fighter Jets

In a major push for its defense industry, India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has announced a crucial upgrade to its Tejas Mk1A fighter program. Starting with the 41st aircraft, the advanced Tejas fighters will ditch imported radars in favor of the indigenously developed Uttam AESA Fire Control Radar (FCR).

India's Tech Triumph​

The Uttam AESA FCR is a significant achievement for India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). After 125 rigorous flight tests, this homegrown radar is ready for action. It has been put through its paces in both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat scenarios, ensuring it's battle-ready for the Tejas Mk1A fleet.

More Power, More Potential​

The Tejas Mk1A fighters will actually get a souped-up version of the Uttam radar compared to earlier prototypes. This upgraded version packs even more power, potentially boosting its range and detection capabilities.

Beyond the Tejas​

Experts believe this isn't just about equipping the Tejas. The move could pave the way for India to use a single, standardized radar system across its Tejas Mk1A and the upcoming Mk2 fighters. This simplifies production and makes maintenance easier.

But it doesn't stop there. Even bigger and more powerful versions of the Uttam radar are in the works, designed to be the eyes of India's future Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and to give a cutting-edge upgrade to the existing Su-30MKI fleet.

The Big Picture​

India is taking significant strides towards becoming a self-sufficient military power. The Uttam radar is proof of the country's growing technological prowess, and its inclusion in the Tejas Mk1A is a clear signal that India is serious about reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.

 

[amerjit johal]

Well, we must acknowledge that UTTAM development is a major milestone.....20 yrs ago when MRCA was started, we were eyeing three specific technologies......Engine, Radar, and Sensor fusion...........Well, now we have made remarkable progress on 2 out of those 3....what remains is the engine which will probably happen with Safran...we have the BVRs taken care....

For next gen fighters what remains is the stuff that we are traditionally decent at....sensor programming, avionics, software, AI, etc. so that we can introduce new capabilities with each iteration...we have by some means figured out certain aspects of stealth shaping and RAM coating....so overall keeping fingers crossed.....

Probably joining he sixth gen French program makes sense today....will allow us to being those learnings to AMCA Mk2 in 2035

It makes more sense to join the Tempest Project.
Other than the fact Tempest team has more resouces and experience especially BAe - sooner or later the French and Germans will argue and fall out.

 

[Akshat]

Mate it was clearly stated in the contract and news that no technology transfer was given. Also it's highly unlikely that they will give 100% of the entire radar technology including AESA and TRM. If they gave that technology then why are we still designing and developing our own Uttam radar? Why are we still testing and improving the quality, technology and parts of our Uttam radar? Why didn't we just manufacture the French radar if we already had the technology rather than spending more money in developing a brand new expensive radar which takes time and effort?

Which contract did you even read? One third of the 50% of the offsets were to be done in the form of ToT. The ToT of TRMs to BDL has been done and has been officially declared in press.

And on. We didn’t make Uttam on our own entirely. TRMs came from France. We are mostly fine tuning the software.

 

[Akshat]

It makes more sense to join the Tempest Project.
Other than the fact Tempest team has more resouces and experience especially BAe - sooner or later the French and Germans will argue and fall out.

In the contrary, France and Germany have more resources and success in recent times. France has the most successful 4th gen plane of recent times. And then comes the economy. UK is going down while France and Germany are relatively stable. France is far more committed to a strategically independent defense ecosystem as compared to UK. And now with Germany ramping up its defense expenditure, it is not going to be difficult to outgun UK.

 

[Akshat]

They are bought and owned by the air force and given to HAL to test the latest technology, parts, equipment or weapons etc. They do the same thing with our Sukhoi jets.

He is talking about Tejas mk1a. They have not been handed over to IAF as of now. Only after official induction can IAF loan it to anyone. Right now DRDO is testing the plane owned by HAL.

 

[amerjit johal]

In the contrary, France and Germany have more resources and success in recent times. France has the most successful 4th gen plane of recent times. And then comes the economy. UK is going down while France and Germany are relatively stable. France is far more committed to a strategically independent defense ecosystem as compared to UK. And now with Germany ramping up its defense expenditure, it is not going to be difficult to outgun UK.

95% disagree with you. The combined defence budgets of
Japan UK Italy approx $150 billion
France Germany approx $ $106 billion
Uk Defence is highest in Europe and growing.
etc etc etc

I will actually stop at this point, because it will be take to long to explain why you have got it so wrong.

 

[Rinku Pandey]

Thanks to the French we have oue own Uttam AESA radar. Hopefully Drdo can integrate it on Tejas.

 

[Akshat]

95% disagree with you. The combined defence budgets of
Japan UK Italy approx $150 billion
France Germany approx $ $106 billion
Uk Defence is highest in Europe and growing.
etc etc etc

I will actually stop at this point, because it will be take to long to explain why you have got it so wrong.

I think you are taking the publicly available numbers at face value without going in the details.

For example, while UK is increasing the budget, it is doing that by clubbing assistance to Ukraine into its defense budget. Similarly, while it said it will increase its defense budget significantly, it is actually not increasing it. The increase this year is barely about 1 billion pounds, and it will actually be a decline if Ukraine’s aid is taken out.

Secondly, look at Germany. While the headline number is about 50 billion euros, they have already announced over 100 billion Euros by 2027. Their actual spending this year is expected to cross 72 billion Euros. And they have planned to increase it even further. So they are actually increasing the budget as promised while UK is not.

France is also spending over 50 billion dollars now and plan to increase it even further. So that’s an actual increase.

And then you forgot Spain, another partner in the project.

So when you add all 3 and the actual numbers, the numbers will be quite close for both the groupings but with French and German economies in better shape as compared to UK or Japan. The actual increases in defense budgets show that.

 

[ryan]

No thanks to DRDO. We got the radar tech from France as ToT for Rafale offsets. We haven’t shown any sensor fusion in any operational system so far.

Really wanted to know how much you are earning per month for being a western Dalla ? You take in Euros or Rupees

 

[Akshat]

Really wanted to know how much you are earning per month for being a western Dalla ? You take in Euros or Rupees

You should ask this to the HAL supporters who have sold the nation for these DPSUs.

 

[Pink Panther]

will French MBDA allow Integration of Meteor System from 41st Tejas MK1A , Earlier denied due to Israel Radar Elta 2052 with Indigenous Uttam AESA Radar let see French MBDA whether it allow or Not.

we use lot of Missiles and some components from Israel, so France won't give un less Tejas is 100% indegenous, until then they will give one reason or the other.

 

[kumar]

Hoping to see good performance by uttam as compared to the isreali ones.

 

[Sandeep]

He is talking about Tejas mk1a. They have not been handed over to IAF as of now. Only after official induction can IAF loan it to anyone. Right now DRDO is testing the plane owned by HAL.

The air force already paid HAL a contract for the 87 Tejas MK1A jets. So any jet produced means it belongs to the air force and two MK1A and one trainer jet has already been handed over. HAL will only be testing everything out from the technology, equipment, software, jet computer and any weapons etc.

 

[Sandeep]

Which contract did you even read? One third of the 50% of the offsets were to be done in the form of ToT. The ToT of TRMs to BDL has been done and has been officially declared in press.

And on. We didn’t make Uttam on our own entirely. TRMs came from France. We are mostly fine tuning the software.

The offset had no specific clause that France would give that radar technology away. Otherwise it would harm their potential sale for the much larger 114 jet contract as we wouldn’t require anymore radars which would harm their income and ruin their business. If you know that their was some set of agreement which wouldn’t make common sense then send me a link to prove it.