Tejas Mk2: Tejas Mk2 is being made to stay in the sky much longer during combat duty than the older Tejas versions. Officials from the Aeronautical Development Agency, or ADA, say the jet is expected to give about 120 minutes of combat patrol time even when it is carrying up to eight Beyond-Visual-Range, or BVR, missiles.
That is a very big jump from the current Tejas Mk1 and Mk1A, which work for around 57 minutes in a similar role and carry about four such missiles. The Defence Research and Development Organisation, or DRDO, has also said the aircraft is getting close to its first flight, which is planned for the summer of 2026.
This matters because in a real fight, time in the air can change everything. A jet that can stay up longer does not need to come back so quickly. That means the Air Force can watch the sky for more time and keep a stronger presence over sensitive areas.
US Air Force Unveils New B-21 Raider Images in Powerful Show of Stealth Strength
Tejas Mk2: New Features
The Tejas Mk2 is not being treated like a small update. It is being built as a bigger and more changed aircraft. The jet is 1.35 metres longer than the Mk1A, with a total length of 14.6 metres. It also gets close-coupled canards, which are small front wings that help the aircraft move better and stay agile in flight. The Mk2 carries more than 3,400 kg of internal fuel, and that is a big reason why it can remain airborne much longer.
The engine is also stronger. The aircraft uses the GE F414-INS6 engine, which gives 98 kN of thrust. Older Tejas variants use the GE F404 engine with about 84 kN of thrust. So the Mk2 gets more push and better performance. The report also says open-source data points to lower radar visibility, with the frontal Radar Cross Section of the Mk2 being about 25% of the Mk1A. That means it may be harder for enemy radar to spot from the front.
Carries More Missiles and Heavy Weapons
Another big change is the amount of weapons the jet can carry. The Tejas Mk2 has 11 hardpoints and can lift up to 6.5 tonnes of external payload. The older Mk1 handles around 3.5 tonnes, so this is almost double in practical use. For air-to-air fighting, the aircraft is built to carry eight BVR missiles in a normal setup. That number can rise to 10 if dual-rack mounting is used. The jet is also meant to work with India’s Astra missile family as well as compatible Russian and French weapons.
Israel Defence Minister Says Hezbollah Operation Is Still Not Finished Despite Ceasefire
To control all this, the aircraft is planned with the Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, also called AESA radar. It also uses a triple-layer auxiliary computer system for stability and backup support.
Why the Extra 120 Minutes?
The biggest change for the Indian Air Force is endurance. If the Mk2 can stay in the sky for nearly two hours while fully armed, then fewer jets may be needed to keep watch over difficult places. This becomes very useful in areas like the Line of Actual Control, or LAC, and over large sea zones where aircraft often need to keep rotating in and out. A longer-lasting fighter means patrol cover can continue with less pressure on the fleet.
This could also reduce pilot tiredness and lower the need for mid-air refuelling tankers. Bigger jets such as the Su-30MKI could then be saved for harder missions instead of doing routine patrol work. In modern warfare this kind of change is important because today’s battles can involve drones, long-range missiles, and very fast reactions. A fighter that can stay up longer and carry many missiles fits that kind of battlefield better
