Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will on Friday lay the foundation stone for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme infrastructure in Sri Sathya Sai district, along with several other defence manufacturing projects.
AMCA: India's Indigenous 5th-Generation Stealth Fighter
AMCA is India's indigenous 5th-generation, twin-engine stealth multirole fighter programme designed for the Indian Air Force and Navy. It will compete with stealth fighter jets like the US F-35, Chinese J-20, and Russian Su-57. Led by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the aircraft features supercruise capability, internal weapons bays, and advanced artificial intelligence. The first prototype is expected by 2028, with squadron induction targeted for 2035.
“This facility for aircraft integration, testing, validation, and certification would accelerate the development of the AMCA programme,” a defence ministry statement said.
Project Progress and Private Sector Involvement
Following a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approval in March 2024 for a Rs 15,000-crore investment, the AMCA project is moving towards a private-sector-led production model aimed at creating five prototypes. The government is likely to issue the request for proposal (RFP) next month to three shortlisted private sector-led consortia competing for the AMCA project, as stated by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Tuesday.
The three consortia moving ahead in the process are:
- L&T in partnership with Bharat Electronics Ltd and Dynamatic Technologies
- Tata Advanced Systems Limited, which has bid independently
- Bharat Forge, which has teamed up with BEML and Data Patterns
Other Defence Projects and Ceremonies
Rajnath will also lay the foundation stone for a new state-of-the-art naval systems manufacturing facility of Bharat Dynamics Ltd at T Sirasapalli village in Anakapalli district. The complex will be set up to meet the growing requirements of advanced underwater weapon systems and naval combat systems.
In addition, grounding ceremonies will be held for:
- Defence energetics facility of Agneyastra Energetics Ltd (a subsidiary of Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd)
- Ammunition and electric fuzes plant of HFCL Ltd at Madakasira, Sri Satya Sai district
- An array of projects for drone city at Kurnool
Various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Andhra Pradesh government are also expected to be signed during the event.
