The TEJAS MK-2 is set to introduce an Auxiliary Mission Computer (AC) designed to work in concert with the Digital Flight Control Computer (DFCC) and Mission Management and Display Computer (MMDC).

This three-tiered computing architecture brings enhanced redundancy, resilience, and mission flexibility, aligning with fourth-plus generation combat avionics standards.

The AC ensures sustained flight operation under degraded conditions, enables superior sensor integration, and forms a developmental bridge to fifth-generation platforms such as the AMCA.

Designed to operate alongside the Digital Flight Control Computer (DFCC) and Mission Management and Display Computer (MMDC), this system brings new levels of redundancy, reliability, and operational agility to the airframe.

The auxiliary computer serves as a live backup for the core flight and mission control systems. Should either the DFCC or MMDC encounter a malfunction or damage in combat, the AC instantly assumes their critical functions, ensuring the aircraft retains control authority.

The architecture follows a graceful degradation model, enabling the jet to function with partial capability rather than face a total systems failure, thus safeguarding mission continuity and pilot survival. The auxiliary computer functions as an active redundancy layer, serving as a real-time backup for DFCC and MMDC units through high-speed data bus interconnections and fault-tolerant logic, it can assume operational control instantly following failure detection in critical systems. 

In addition, the AC continuously monitors the health status of onboard systems, identifying anomalies and dynamically re-routing processing power to maintain flight control.

This self-healing feature represents a crucial advancement in combat survivability within electronic warfare-intensive environments.

The addition of the AC strengthens teammate coordination between sensors, flight control, and weapons systems. It performs fused data processing from the Uttam AESA radar, Infrared Search and Track (IRST), and various onboard sensors to present a unified tactical picture to the pilot.

Key mission upgrades include:

Sensor fusion: Real-time integration of radar, infrared, and electronic intelligence feeds.

Automated weapon system control: Predictive algorithms enable autonomous radar and missile activation sequencing.

EW integration: Prioritised threat management within the Unified Electronic Warfare Suite (UEWS), including dynamic response to jamming or missile threats.


By introducing this auxiliary processor, the TEJAS MK-2 gains the ability to manage more data-intensive missions. It plays a central role in sensor fusion, integrating inputs from the UTTAM AESA radar, IRST sensors, and other subsystems to give the pilot a singular composite picture of the operational theatre.

This enhanced situational awareness eliminates data silos and accelerates decision-making in rapidly evolving engagements. These features collectively enhance situational awareness, electronic survivability, and pilot workload reduction in dense combat environments.

The AC also revolutionises weapon management, automating key combat logic such as radar-weapon synchronisation and pre-emptive activation under threat conditions.

This automation reduces pilot workload and increases combat efficiency, especially during high-intensity missions. Concurrently, it plays a pivotal role in the Unified Electronic Warfare Suite (UEWS), prioritising and managing countermeasures such as jamming, decoys, and warning responses.

The auxiliary computer supports network-centric warfare operations through seamless integration with software-defined radios (SDRs) and the Indian Air Force Network (AFNet).

By handling tactical data link management, it ensures secure, real-time connectivity with friendly aircraft, ground stations, and command elements, amplifying cooperative mission execution.

Moreover, the AC’s processing support allows a significant reduction in the computational load on primary systems. This frees capacity for other mission functions, such as advanced threat computation, simultaneous weapon deployment, and digital mapping under high electronic load conditions.

The TEJAS MK-2’s avionics suite, underpinned by this auxiliary computer framework, signifies a defining advance in India’s self-reliant defence technology base. Developed indigenously, the system reduces dependency on imported avionics hardware and software, bolstering national security through technology sovereignty.

In strategic terms, this architecture serves as a foundation for the upcoming Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The modular computing concepts, redundancy logic, and sensor fusion algorithms refined under the MK-2 program will directly influence AMCA’s mission systems, offering scalability and reducing developmental cost cycles.

By integrating this advanced level of computational intelligence and fault tolerance, the TEJAS MK-2 strengthens its position as a true multi-role fighter of the next generation, enhancing the Indian Air Force’s operational readiness and survivability in complex air combat scenarios.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)