Electronics and Radar Development Establishment under DRDO's UTTAM AESA Radar has been cleared for production since 2023, and by April 2025 it had completed key flight trials and hardware qualification stages required for certification.

This was around the same period when the LOI was sent to Israel for the remaining 40 radars of the 83 TEJAS MK-1A order.

Developed by the LRDE, the indigenous UTTAM AESA radar marked a major milestone in April 2026 by completing extensive flight testing on TEJAS LSP-2 and LSP-3 prototypes.

These trials validated critical performance parameters, including a tracking range of 140 kilometres against fighter-sized targets in air-to-air and air-to-ground modes.

By the end of 2025, over 150 test flights had been conducted on TEJAS MK-1 prototypes, accumulating hundreds of flight test hours.

The Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) formally certified that UTTAM had passed four critical phases of flight testing along with hardware qualification.

This clearance paves the way for serial production and integration into frontline combat jets like the TEJAS MK-1A. Despite earlier tensions in mid-2025, when HAL cited certification delays and opted for Israeli EL/M-2052 radars via a Letter of Intent to Elta Systems for the first 43 jets, DRDO contested these claims vigorously.

DRDO emphasised that UTTAM was production-ready since 2023, with CEMILAC advising subsystem production post-April 2025 trials, and proposed a hybrid setup using indigenous radar with imported EW systems temporarily. Recent developments confirm a shift back towards UTTAM, with HAL planning integration from the 41st TEJAS MK-1A aircraft onwards, aligning with deliveries ramping up in 2026.

HAL Chairman D K Sunil affirmed that the superior GaN-based UTTAM AESA will equip the majority of a second batch of 97 TEJAS MK-1A jets starting after 2027, reducing foreign dependencies. Supply chain stabilisations for Israeli systems have eased immediate pressures, but the focus remains on indigenous solutions amid IAF reviews scheduled for May 2026.

The radar's advanced GaN technology promises enhanced detection, multi-target tracking, jamming resistance, and compatibility with indigenous weapons like Astra missiles, bolstering India's strategic autonomy in fighter avionics.

Why Did HAL Choose The Israeli Radar Instead

HAL chose the Israeli EL/M-2052 radar over the indigenous UTTAM AESA primarily to avoid significant delays in TEJAS MK-1A deliveries to the Indian Air Force.

In June 2025, HAL issued a Letter of Intent to Israel's ELTA Systems for radars and Scorpius-SP EW suites for the first 43 jets, citing certification hurdles with UTTAM by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).

HAL officials stated that UTTAM and the DRDO-developed Swayam Raksha Kavach (SRK) EW suite lacked full production certification, risking 12-18 months of additional delays amid IAF urgency to replace ageing MiG-21s.

The Israeli systems were combat-proven, offered faster integration, multi-mode capabilities like air-to-air and air-to-ground tracking of over 60 targets, and ensured timely operational readiness.

DRDO contested this, asserting UTTAM was production-cleared since 2023 and met requirements, but HAL prioritised schedule adherence over indigenous integration for initial batches.

What Certification Steps Delayed The Uttam Radar

HAL cited delays in full certification by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) as the primary reason for not using Uttam in initial Tejas Mk1A batches.

CEMILAC certification encompasses rigorous steps, including hardware qualification tests, extensive flight trials (over 150 sorties by April 2025), environmental stress screenings, and validation of all operational modes like air-to-air, air-to-ground tracking, and jamming resistance.

While DRDO reported completion of four key stages of flight testing and hardware qualification by April 2025—allowing subsystem production—full system-level certification for serial production remained pending, potentially adding 12-18 months.

HAL emphasised that Uttam had not passed "all necessary certification tests," risking IAF delivery timelines amid pressure to induct jets quickly.

DRDO contested this, noting an official CEMILAC communication advised production start and proposed hybrid integration, but HAL prioritised proven timelines.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)