As the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project, which aims to design and develop India’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA), advances, the Defence Ministry is crafting a model to significantly involve the private sector. This collaboration is crucial for the project’s timely completion, according to official sources. The Hindu reports that the first prototype of HAL AMCA is anticipated by 2028-29.
“The AMCA design is complete. The prototype should be ready by 2028-29, with production slated to start in 2032-33. The goal is to have it inducted by 2034, a decade after the project was sanctioned,” an official source stated. To ensure manufacturing and delivery schedules are met, substantial involvement from private industry is being planned. “We need to finalize a model for private sector participation, which should be determined within the next six months,” the source added.
The AMCA project holds significant importance as it is India’s sole FGFA intended for induction amidst global advancements in FGFA development. China, for instance, has made substantial strides with its FGFAs, recently deploying the twin-engine J-20 FGFA in Tibet near the Indian border.