India on Monday showcased for the first time a full-scale model of the indigenously developed 5.5-generation stealth aircraft at 15th edition of Aero India 2025, marking an important turn of event in the country’s attempt to become aatmanirbhar in the aerospace domain.
The unveiling of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), conceptualised and designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), interestingly coincided with the US and Russia pitching their own fifth-generation aircrafts – F-35 and SU-57 respectively – at the Aero India.
Powered with GE F-414 engines – which will be co-produced in India – the first prototype of the AMCA will be ready sometime between 2026 and 2027.
In all, the ADA wants to develop five AMCA prototypes and the first flight will take place in 2028, said Krishna Rajendra Neeli, Project Director of AMCA, in a detailed conversation about the production of next generation fighter jet.
The AMCA project has come a long way since its conception by five ADA scientists in 2009, Neeli said standing next to the model at the DRDO pavilion at Aero India.
Non-stealth properties
“AMCA is a fifth-generation aircraft that India is proudly showcasing to the country with its technologies, both aerodynamics and stealth features. The weapons can be carried internally weighing around one-and-a-half tonnes. It can also be used as a non-stealth aircraft by carrying the weapons at its wing station. That is how it can be used both ways,” he said, demonstrating its futuristic capabilities.
“The full-stealth AMCA aircraft programme was sanctioned by the government in April 2024. The total duration of the development phase is 10 years. The aircraft will be certified by 2032 and the plan for its induction in the Indian Air Force will be in 2034,” said Neeli.
Initially, the AMCA, a 25-tonne medium weight category class aircraft, will have 75 per cent indigenous content, which would be scaled up to 85 per cent subsequently. The GE F-414 engine will be the major outsourced component that would be fitted into the aircraft.
Work underway
To meet the timeline, the GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have begun production in India to ensure that the engine capable of producing 98 nN thrust is available on time for onboarding the AMCA frame.
Prototype for LCA Mk-2
Before the fifth-generation aircraft, the F-414 engine will power Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-2 – a prototype of it will come out of the stable of HAL at the end of this year.
The LCA Mk-2 – a replacement for Indian Air Force’s Mirage 2000s and Jaguars fighters – will go for maiden flight trial in 2026, said Jitendra J Jadhav, Director General ADA.
Meanwhile, as the per the DRDO, the ADA is simultaneously working on developing key 5th-generation technologies, such as, AI-powered electronic pilot, netcentric warfare systems, integrated vehicle health management and internal weapon bay.
The AI-powered electronic pilot comprises multi-sensor data fusion to enhance situational awareness, pilot decision support system, automatic target identification system, combined vision system for navigation in poor visibility, and manned & unmanned teaming to integrate drones into future warfare.
