Overview
- Tata Advanced Systems, an L&T–BEL–Dynamatic consortium, and a Bharat Forge–BEML–Data Patterns team were cleared to submit cost bids for the AMCA prototype phase.
- Reports say HAL was eliminated during screening under financial criteria that penalised heavy order books, though the company says it has received no official communication.
- Requests for cost bids are expected shortly with selection on a lowest‑bidder basis and an award targeted in roughly three months.
- The prototype contract covers five flying aircraft plus one structural test article, with planning baselines pointing to a first flight around 2029 and development completion by 2034 under ADA/DRDO.
- Separately, HAL says five Tejas Mk1A jets are fully ready for delivery and nine more await GE engines, underscoring ongoing supply‑chain and capacity pressures.