India’s Cabinet Committee on Security on March 7 approved the project to design and develop the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft more popularly known as AMCA as a fifth-generation, medium weight low observable fighter jet.
To be designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) which functions as a Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) arm, the government has allocated Rs 15,000 crore as initial funding with more money to be provided as and when required.
The aircraft will propel India into a select group of nations that have or are developing 5th generation fighter jets, based on futuristic technology in partnership with various private and public sector agencies.
It is designed as a medium-weight, multi-role fighter jet with advanced features such as enhanced sensor fusion, advanced work material, advanced communication system that is difficult to intercept, edge computing capability in mission computer, leading to enhanced and faster situation awareness, and reduced cockpit workload for pilots.
Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale also explains why the Indian Air Force prefers to describe AMCA as a ‘low observable’ aircraft and not a stealth fighter jet in this episode of Simply Nitin.
Nitin A. Gokhale is a media entrepreneur, one of South Asia's leading strategic affairs analyst and author of over a dozen books so far on military history, insurgencies and wars.
Starting his career in journalism in 1983, he has since led teams of journalists across media platforms.
A specialist in conflict coverage, Gokhale has covered the insurgencies in India’s North-East, the 1999 Kargil conflict and Sri Lanka’s Eelam War IV between 2006-2009.
Gokhale now travels across the globe to speak at seminars and conferences, and lecture at India’s premier defence colleges. He has founded three niche portals, Bharatshakti.in, stratnewsglobal.com and Interstellar.news.
