Platform profile · India · Multirole fighter · Indian Air Force (planned)
First prototype rolled out and in ground trials; the June–July 2026 maiden-flight window is now shadowed by the stalled GE F414 engine price negotiations, while GE's slow F404 deliveries to the sister Tejas Mk1A line — seven engines against nearly 30 completed airframes as of July 2026 — underline the programme's exposure to GE engine supply.
The Tejas Mk2 is HAL and ADA's 4.5-generation medium-weight fighter — a stretched, canard-equipped evolution of the Tejas powered by the GE F414, intended to replace the IAF's Mirage 2000, MiG-29 and Jaguar fleets. The first prototype rolled out in January 2026 and is in ground trials toward a maiden flight targeted for mid-2026, but a near-tripling of GE's quoted F414 price now hangs over the programme's engine supply and timeline.
Updated 8 Jul 2026
Verified figures
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Length | 14.6 m ↗ |
| Wingspan | 8.5 m ↗ |
| Maximum take-off weight | 17.5 tonnes ↗ |
| Powerplant | 1 × GE F414-INS6 afterburning turbofan with FADEC, 22,000 lb (~98 kN) thrust class ↗ |
| Maximum speed | Mach 1.8 ↗ |
| Combat radius | 1,000–1,500 km (reported figures vary) ↗ |
| External payload | Up to 6.5 tonnes ↗ |
| Sensors | Uttam AESA radar (LRDE), IRST, missile-approach warning system, unified EW suite ↗ |
| Planned procurement | 110–120 aircraft planned for IAF induction; GE forecasts 100+ production ↗ |
| Development funding | ₹10,000 crore (~US$1.2 billion) sanctioned by the CCS in September 2022 ↗ |
Spec sources: janes.com ↗ · geaerospace.com ↗ · indiandefensenews.in ↗
Changelog
GE Aerospace hands over its seventh F404-IN20 engine to HAL while nearly 30 completed Tejas Mk1A airframes wait on powerplants; GE's pledge of 20 more engines by December 2026, then 24–26 a year, is now the pacing item for LCA deliveries — a demonstration of the GE engine dependence that also shadows the Mk2's F414 supply.
GE's quoted F414 price nearly triples to over ₹200 crore per engine against initial ₹70–80 crore estimates, stalling negotiations for the ~162 engines the Mk2 programme needs and adding a demand for over $800 million in Indian investment for a local production line.
One of six delivered GE F404 engines for the sister Tejas Mk1A programme develops a snag; the MoD orders a full Tejas programme review in September chaired by the defence minister, sharpening scrutiny of GE engine supply across the LCA family, including the Mk2.
Prototype reported in integration checks, systems validation and structural/avionics readiness assessments; taxi trials are the next milestone ahead of a mid-2026 maiden flight, with limited series production targeted for 2029.
First prototype completes rollout and enters internal ground trials; CEMILAC begins first-flight-clearance evaluations — engine ground runs, flight-control-law validation and emergency-systems checks — against a June 2026 flight target.
DRDO chairman Samir V. Kamat, speaking on the defence ministry's Raksha Sutra podcast, puts the Tejas Mk2 maiden flight in a June–July 2026 window.
Cabinet Committee on Security sanctions LCA Mk2 development with ₹10,000 crore (~US$1.2 billion) covering prototype construction and flight testing.
3 tagged stories
GE Aerospace has handed HAL its seventh F404-IN20 turbofan, but with close to 30 completed Tejas Mk1A airframes waiting for powerplants, GE's promise of 20 engines by December 2026 is now the pacing item for IAF deliveries.
GE Aerospace has reportedly tripled the price of F414 engines meant for AMCA prototypes, stalling negotiations and casting doubt over schedules for India's fifth-generation fighter and the Tejas Mk2.
A delivered GE F404 engine has developed a snag and another has failed acceptance parameters. With six of 99 engines in hand, India's flagship fighter heads into a September review that will reset its delivery timeline.
