Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is India's own fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, now being developed. It is designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which works under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It will be a twin-engine jet built to be very hard for enemy radars to detect. It is meant to be the IAF's main advanced fighter from the mid-2030s.

Why does India need it?

Air power is moving to stealth fighters. The United States (F-22, F-35), China (J-20, J-35) and Russia (Su-57) already fly fifth-generation jets. China's large fleet of J-20s directly affects India's security. Buying such jets from abroad is costly and leaves India dependent on other countries for spares and upgrades. Building one at home gives India control over the technology and helps Indian industry grow.

What makes a jet "fifth-generation"?

Fighter jets are grouped into "generations" based on their technology. A fifth-generation jet usually has:

• Stealth: a special shape and coatings that make it look very small on enemy radar. It carries its missiles inside its body in an internal weapons bay, because missiles hanging under the wings reflect radar waves.
• Sensor fusion: a computer combines data from the radar, cameras and other sensors into one clear picture for the pilot.
• Supercruise: the ability to fly faster than sound for long periods without using the fuel-hungry afterburner.
• Advanced avionics (the electronic systems of the aircraft) and networking with other jets and ground stations.

Where did it come from?

The AMCA idea began around 2008, and ADA completed its feasibility study around 2010–11. For some years, India was also part of a joint Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project with Russia, based on the Su-57. In 2018, India pulled out of the FGFA because of high costs and concerns about technology sharing and performance.

After that, the AMCA became India's main fifth-generation path. In March 2024, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved about ₹15,000 crore for the Full Scale Engineering Development (FSED) phase, which means designing, building and testing the prototypes.

How is it being built? A new industry model

Earlier, India's military aircraft were built mainly by the government company HAL. For the AMCA, the Ministry of Defence approved a new "execution model" on 27 May 2025. Under it, private and public companies can compete equally, alone or in groups (consortia). In 2026, ADA shortlisted three bidders:

• Tata Advanced Systems
• A group led by Larsen & Toubro, with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Dynamatic Technologies
• A group led by Bharat Forge, with BEML and Data Patterns

HAL was not among the shortlisted. ADA issued the Request for Proposal in May 2026, and the winner is expected to be chosen around early 2027. The winner will help build five prototypes (test versions) and support flight tests and certification.

Key parts and facts

• Type: twin-engine, single-seat, fifth-generation stealth multi-role fighter, in the roughly 25-tonne class [Unverified]
• Designer: ADA (under DRDO), Bengaluru
• Prototypes: five planned under FSED
• Engines, version 1 (AMCA Mk1): two American GE F414 engines
• Engines, version 2 (AMCA Mk2): a new, more powerful engine of about 120 kN thrust is planned to be co-developed by the DRDO's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) with France's Safran, with Indian ownership of the design
• Timeline (official targets, which may change): first prototype flight around the end of the decade; development by about 2034 and production from about 2035

Why are engines such a big deal?

A fighter engine is one of the hardest machines in the world to build. It must work at extremely high temperatures and pressures. Only a handful of countries (the US, Russia, the UK, France and China) can make one. India's own Kaveri engine project, started in the 1980s, could not reach the needed power. That is why the AMCA's first version uses American engines and why the Safran deal for the second version matters so much.

India's position

The AMCA is central to Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence. It follows the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, also designed by ADA. The Tejas taught India how to design a modern fighter, but it took decades, and the AMCA hopes to move faster using lessons from it and a stronger role for private industry.

Commonly confused concepts

• AMCA vs Tejas (LCA): Tejas is a single-engine, light, 4.5-generation fighter already in service. AMCA is a twin-engine, medium, fifth-generation stealth fighter still under development.
• AMCA vs FGFA: FGFA was a joint project with Russia (based on the Su-57) that India left in 2018. AMCA is an Indian design.
• ADA vs HAL vs DRDO: DRDO is the government's defence research body. ADA is a society under DRDO's Department of Defence R&D that designs fighter aircraft. HAL is a government company that manufactures aircraft.
• GTRE vs ADA: GTRE (a DRDO lab in Bengaluru) works on engines; ADA works on the aircraft design.

Issues, criticism and the way forward

• Timeline risk: Indian aircraft projects have often been delayed. The Tejas took over 30 years from approval to full service. A delayed AMCA would widen the IAF's gap. This is why the IAF says it may need a stop-gap fifth-generation jet.
• Engine dependence: Until the new engine is ready, the AMCA depends on American engines. Supply delays, like those seen with the Tejas Mk1A's F404 engines, are a real risk.
• Private industry experience: Private firms have never built a complete fighter jet in India. Supporters say competition will bring speed and efficiency. Others worry about the learning curve.
• Funding: ₹15,000 crore covers only prototypes. Full production will need much more money over many years.
• Way forward: steady funding, fixed timelines, early engine development, and strong testing infrastructure.

Concepts to Know

• Stealth: Design methods that make an aircraft very hard for radar and other sensors to detect.
• Prototype: An early test version of a machine, built to check that the design works before mass production.
• Thrust (kN): The pushing force an engine produces, measured in kilonewtons (kN). More thrust means more power to fly fast and carry weight.
• Afterburner: A part of a jet engine that burns extra fuel to give a short burst of extra speed. It uses a lot of fuel.
• Consortium: A group of companies that come together to bid for and do one big project.
• Avionics: All the electronic systems on an aircraft, like radar, navigation, displays and communication.