HAL TEDBF
| Industry | Aerospace, Defence |
|---|---|
| Founded | December 23, 1940 |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru , India |
| Products | Aircraft, helicopters, aerospace components |
| Owner | Government of India |
| Website | hal-india |
The HAL Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) is a twin-engine, canard delta wing, carrier-capable multirole combat aircraft currently being developed for the Indian Navy. Conceived by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the TEDBF is intended to supersede the Mikoyan MiG-29K and subsequent batches of the Rafale operating on India's STOBAR carriers.
This aircraft is designed to undertake a variety of missions such as air superiority, combat air patrol, interception, ground strikes, anti-surface warfare, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and buddy refueling. Its configuration includes folding wings and an arrestor hook to facilitate effective carrier deployment.
The TEDBF project began around 2019-20 after the Indian Navy exited the single-engine naval LCA program in 2016 due to operational limitations. As of 2025, the initial design phase is nearing completion. The Indian Navy has postponed the prototype's maiden flight to a window between 2029 and 2030, with production and induction planned by 2038.
Initiated in 2003, the naval LCA programme aimed to develop a carrier-based fighter for the Indian Navy, with the ADA responsible for designing it based on the Tejas platform. The plan consisted of two stages: first, constructing two prototypes derived from the Tejas Mk. 1; second, creating two prototypes based on the Tejas Mk. 2. Funding was jointly provided by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy, which financed 40% of Mk. 1 and 60% of Mk. 2 development expenses. In 2009, approval for developing the Mk. 2 variant was granted by the Cabinet Committee on Security. The initial naval prototype, a two-seat NP-1, was unveiled in 2010 and conducted its first flight on 27 April 2012. By 2015, a single-seat NP-2 prototype had joined testing and successfully executed ski jump-assisted takeoffs at a shore-based test facility (SBTF) in Goa.
MRCBF
In December 2016, citing concerns over excessive weight in the naval LCA variant, the Indian Navy withdrew from that programme and issued a new Request for Information (RFI) for 57 Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighters (MRCBF).
The competition primarily involved the Rafale and Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, both undergoing evaluation through ski-jump trials at the Shore-Based Test Facility (SBTF) in early 2022.
By August 2022, development of TEDBF was actively progressing, with MRCBF viewed as a temporary solution pending TEDBF’s eventual induction. The selected MRCBF platform was intended to form part of the air wing aboard INS Vikrant. The initial order for MRCBF aircraft was reduced from 57 to 26 units including trainers. By December 2022, internal Navy reports indicated Rafale as the preferred choice to be recommended to the Ministry of Defence.
In 2023, procurement approval was granted by the Ministry of Defence for Rafale-M jets for naval service. As of April 2025, an agreement for acquiring 26 Rafale-M fighters was finalized during the visit of the French Defense Minister to India.
The previously halted LCA-N initiative was rejuvenated in 2018 during the tenure of then Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Alongside the procurement of the MRCBF, flight testing recommenced using NP-1 and NP-2 aircraft to advance the carrier-based fighter's technological readiness. By early 2020, the naval LCA had achieved successful night arrested landings at Goa SBTF and completed carrier takeoffs and landings aboard .
Design and Development
In December 2019, DRDO unveiled plans for a twin-engine fighter tailored for the Indian Navy, with Qualitative Requirements (QR) being formulated and operational readiness aimed for 2026. The Naval LCA functioned as a technology demonstrator, with carrier compatibility trials shaping the design of this new platform. At that stage, the N-LCA had conducted 50 independent ski-jump takeoffs and 28 arrested landings at INS Hansa. Induction of the TEDBF was scheduled for 2032.
Reports in April 2020 first detailed TEDBF development, incorporating innovations from the MWF project such as Next Generation Wide Area Displays, side-stick controllers, powerful Digital Flight Control Computers, and state-of-the-art sensor systems. A scaled prototype was showcased at Aero India 2021, crafted to satisfy Navy specifications for the MRCBF procurement.
As of October 2022, work on preliminary design was ongoing. Upon Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approval, producing four prototypes is projected to cost ₹14,000 crore, with operational deployment expected eight years thereafter. A CATOBAR variant may be pursued contingent on INS Vishal entering service. ADA planned to complete the Preliminary Design Review by March 2023, followed by CCS endorsement in mid-2023, prototype unveiling within two years, maiden flight by 2026, and induction around 2031-32. The prototype phase is slated to include approximately 1,000 test sorties, supported by DRDO’s internal funding allocated for supersonic wind tunnel evaluations.
By December 2024, all concerned ministries had granted clearance for the program; it is currently under assessment by the National Security Council Secretariat. Initially proposing 145 TEDBF units to support a three-carrier fleet, the Navy was advised to scale back to 87 aircraft based on a two-carrier strategy. The Navy and ADA target a first flight by 2028 with three prototypes financed through the Tejas Navy program. Fourteen enhancements beyond existing Tejas Navy capabilities—including automated landing and takeoff—are planned; four have already undergone trials on Tejas platforms. These initiatives aim to reduce TEDBF’s development timeline.
A revamped TEDBF model was presented at Aero India 2025. By March of that year, CCS authorized HAL to commence project infrastructure setup, with Preliminary Design Review anticipated by June 2025. Project Director Amitabh Saraf noted that completion of PDR would initiate Critical Design and Wind Tunnel Testing stages. The aircraft design includes in-flight refueling capability for four to five other planes simultaneously. As of April 2025, the prototype’s inaugural flight is expected between 2029 and 2030, with mass production and induction planned for around 2038.
ORCA Program
The Omni-Role Combat Aircraft (ORCA), envisioned as an air force variant derived from the TEDBF platform with an approximate weight of 23 tonnes, remains under evaluation. The Indian Air Force projects a requirement exceeding 750 units between 2030 and 2050. Subject to funding approval, ORCA development would proceed concurrently with the HAL AMCA.
Operators
- Indian Naval Air Arm – The strategy envisions establishing between 5 and 8 squadrons, with a fleet size ranging from roughly 87 to 145 aircraft.