HAL is targetting to deliver 16 LCA Mk1A jets to the Indian Air Force in 2025, with a total of 83 jets by 2029. Project-related delays had already pushed back the first delivery, originally scheduled by March 2024.
GE has been grappling with slowed delivery of its jet engines globally. Larry Culp, chief executive officer of the manufacturer, said this week that 15 different suppliers across its supply chain are involved in the disruptions.
To meet the demand, HAL's new facility at Nashik is expected to help ramp up production capacity to 24 fighter jets annually, from current 16.
While India's Tejas and China's J-10C are indigenously manufactured, Pakistan's JF-17 is a collaborative effort between the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China's Chengdu Aerospace Corporation.