Q. No. 375 Increase in operational cost of Tejas LCA

Question: Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to satate :-

(a) whether it is a fact that the Tejas already three decades in the making, is not likely to become fully combat worthy even in 2015;

(b) if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether it is also a fact that the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft project was first sanctioned in 1983 at a cost of `560 crore to replace the ageing MiG-21s, is now estimated to cost more than `25,000 crore; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

Answer: Minister of Defence (Shri A.K. Antony)

Obtained in January 2011. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are working towards meeting planned schedules for IOC-2 by end of 2013 and Final Operational Clearance (FOC) by end of 2014 to make Tejas fully combat worthy.

(c) & (d): Project Definition Phase (PDP) for development of LCA was sanctioned in August 1983 at a cost of `560 Cr. After completion of PDP, Full Scale Engineering Development (FSED) Programme Phase-I was sanctioned in April 1993 at a cost of `2188 Cr (including PDP cost `560 Cr) with increased scope. FSED Programme Phase-I was successfully completed in March 2004 and technology was demonstrated. FSED Programme Phase-II was sanctioned in November 2001 at a cost of `3301.78 Cr to build 3 prototypes, 8 Limited Series Production (LSP) aircraft and establish infrastructure for producing 8 aircraft per year. Additional sanction of `2475.78 Cr was given to meet the financial requirements of FSED Programme Phase-II for induction into Indian Air Force by obtaining IOC and FOC. The total sanctioned cost for development of LCA, Tejas (PDP + FSED Phase-I + FSED Phase-II) is `7965.56 Cr.