Korea has beaten India to a $920 million contract to export light combat aircraft to Malaysia. The FA-50 from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and the LCA Tejas from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) were the final contenders for the Malaysian contract for 18 fighter jets.
The FA-50 aircraft deal was signed in Kuala Lumpur by KAI CEO Kang Gu-young and Datuk Muez bin Abd Aziz, secretary general of Malaysia’s defence ministry. HAL officials were unavailable to comment on the reason for the contract loss, but its chairman, CB Ananthakrishnan, stated at the recently concluded Aero India 2023 that they had unofficially learned that they had suffered a “setback” in their attempt to export LCA to Malaysia.
Scenario – Tejas Deal
“We didn’t get anything in black and white… “However, we’re hearing that the Koreans may get the order,” HAL’s CEO said in Bengaluru. Ananthakrishnan, on the other hand, was optimistic about advancing the Tejas’ interests shown by Indonesia and Egypt. India had tried to strike a hard bargain with Malaysia, offering them a complete package that included the establishment of an MRO facility for the Russian Sukhoi-30s in its fleet.
Also read: Induction Of Tejas MK-1A From Next Year
According to an unnamed KAI official, FA-50s will be modified to include an aerial refueling system and increased payload capacity. According to KIA officials, the first batch of FA-50s will be delivered to Malaysia in 2026. KIA’s Friday transaction expands its portfolio of light combat aircraft exports to Poland, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
About HAL TEJAS
The HAL Tejas is a single-engine, delta-wing, light multirole fighter designed for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC). It grew out of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program, which began in the 1980s to replace India’s aging MiG-21 fighters but later became part of a larger fleet modernization effort. The LCA was given the name “Tejas” in 2003. It is the smallest and lightest supersonic combat aircraft in its class.
Also read: What Is LCA Tejas Mark 2 Project? [Fully Explained]
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