India's ₹15,000 Crore AMCA Project: Private Firms Bid For 5th-Gen Stealth Fighter Jet

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]One of India's most ambitious aerospace programs, the AMCAR or the advanced medium combat aircraft for the fifth generation stealth fighter is our top focus story on this broadcast. The ministry of defense has issued request for proposal or the RFP for the 15,000 cr rupee made in India at Bhar Bharat AMA project. So this fifth generation stealth combat aircraft will have about advanced avionic super cruise capabilities and reduced radar signature. The AMA is being developed as a mediumweight twin engine multi-roll stealth fighter jet. The aircraft is expected to feature super cruise capability, internal weapon base and advanced AI systems integrated. Now the project um it's projected to operate at an altitude of between 50 to 55,000 ft should the need arise. Carry about 1,500 kg of weapons internally along with additional 5,500 kg externally. The IIF has been pursuing the AMA project to meet future requirements for deep penetration strike missions deep inside enemy territory and for total air supremacy even in the enemy's skies. Now one of the biggest challenges facing the AMA program remains engine development in India. The initial prototypes and the first two operational squadons are expected to be powered by the American GE General Electric F414 engines. That's about 98 kon thrust class engines. The subsequent five AMA which is M2 squadrons. India plans to indigenously co-develop the much more powerful about 110 konton power engines.

[00:01:48]Now will this be in partnership with the French saffron British Rolls-Royce or US General Electric remains the big question. There are other challenges.

[00:01:58]time and cost overruns, sanctions regime, if you look at what happened with the LCA bottlenecks and these are issues that that the LCA has grappled with for decades. But should we do it?

[00:02:11]Should India be able to deliver then India joins a super elite club of the United States, China and Russia that operate fifth generation stealth fighters. The US has the F-35 Lightning 2 and the F-22 Raptors. Russia with 257 and China with its J20. The challenge of course has been accepted by three shortlisted bidders in India. Larsson and Tubro and Bhat Electronics Limited their consortium. Then Tata Advanced Systems and Bhat Forge and BML consortium all indigenous companies.

[00:02:49]Public sector aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has not been included in this program. HAL is not only manufacturing the TJAS fighter jets but also has a large number of other pending orders of the Indian Air Force.

[00:03:02]Once a company is selected, it will work with ADA. ADA is aeronautical development agency and they will develop five prototypes of the FGFA or the fifth generation fighter aircraft and there are very tight timelines in this project. The first AMA prototype is expected to be completed by 2028-29 about 30 months from the time the deal is inked. The first flight of this multi-roll fighter stealth fighter will is expected to take place between 2030 31. The serial production would then start mid 203132.

[00:03:43]It was on on May 15, 2026 that Rakshamantri Rajnad Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babavu Naidu they laid the foundation stone for the core integration and flight testing center at Putaparti in Andhra Pradesh.

[00:03:59]So mid 2030s or late 2030s you should have the FGFA if all goes