# HAL, Egypt Tejas aircraft contract in the works

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2023/02/hal-egypt-tejas-aircraft-contract-in-the-works/
- Published: 2023-02-20T08:41:49+01:00
- Author: Darek Liam

India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) chairman, Shri C.B. Ananthakrishnan,
has announced at Aero-India 2023 that the company is in talks with Egypt and Argentinian
officials to secure a contract to supply 35 Tejas LCA Mk-1A to the nation’s armed
forces.

The aircraft deal will see HAL supply 35 Tejas LCA Mk-1A to Egypt, as well as provide
a complete transfer of technology (ToT) for Egypt to produce the aircraft locally.
Egypt has projected a requirement for 20 aircraft.

Tejas is a light multirole and single engine 6.5t fighter aircraft designed for 
the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. The 6.5t fighter jet’s noticeable hardware,
software features and advanced technologies are quadruple fly-by-wire digital automatic
flight control.

“Egypt has also shown interest in creating a local aerospace ecosystem. We will 
help facilitate that. Two teams from the Argentine Air Force have visited HAL and
flown the LCA,” said Ananthakrishnan.

If successful, the deal would make Egypt and Argentina the first nations to procure
the Tejas LCA Mk-1. The fighter jet is already being used domestically by the Indian
Air Force. India and Egypt began collaboration late last year when Indian Defense
Minister Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh on 19 September, met with his Egyptian
counterpart in Cairo, to discuss and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed
at enhancing military and security cooperation between both nations.

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Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh also met with Egypt’s President al-Sisi, [where they discussed cooperation and focus on joint training, defence co-production](https://www.military.africa/2022/10/egypt-india-signs-mou-to-enhance-military-and-security-cooperation/),
and maintenance of equipment and also exchange expertise in countering the threat
of terrorism.

The diplomatic visit includes a discussion on the status of India’s bid to sell 
the indigenous Tejas MK1A light combat aircraft to Egypt in a deal that could include
setting up a production facility in Egypt.

Early his year, I[ndia and Egypt sought to deepen military cooperation](https://www.military.africa/2023/01/india-egypt-looks-to-deepen-military-co-operation/),
including between their defence industries, and India’s foreign secretary. Egyptian
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
in New Delhi as part of a state visit where met business leaders and was a guest
of honour at India’s Jan. 26 Republic Day.

In June 2022, [HAL offered its LCA-Tejas to be used as lead-in fighter training (LIFT) for the Egyptian requirement for 70 LIFT aircraft](https://www.military.africa/2022/06/india-pitchs-tejas-light-combat-aircraft-to-egypt/)
as it plans to retire Chinese-made 100 K-8E trainer aircraft. Several aircraft manufacturers
also indicated interest to supply training aircraft, with Grob Aircraft, Sierra 
Nevada, Aero Vodochody and Leonardo already negotiating.

The Egyptian Air force (EAF) is in the [market for a new trainer aircraft](https://www.military.africa/2021/03/egypt-in-search-of-new-trainer-aircraft)
to replace its ageing fleet and to train its student pilots for the newly delivered
[Rafale fighter jet](https://www.military.africa/2017/12/egyptian-air-force-receives-three-more-dassault-rafale),
and incoming [Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet](https://www.military.africa/2020/05/russia-begins-production-of-egypts-su-35-fighter-jet).
However, Ananthakrishnan said HAL may have been edged out by a Korean aircraft maker
in a contest to sell new fighter jets to Malaysia.

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In December 2022, Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) [entered a cooperation agreement with Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI)](https://www.military.africa/2022/12/egypt-south-korea-signs-agreement-on-golden-eagle-aircraft/)
to localize the manufacturing technology of T-50/FA-50 Golden Eagle advanced trainer
jet and light combat aircraft. KAI pushes to sell its FA-50/T-50 Golden Eagle jet
to the North African nation, while Egypt plans on exporting the aircraft to third
parties.

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