Hyderabad-based VEM Technologies delivers second centre fuselage for Tejas Mk1A in record three months

Vem Technologies has delivered its second centre fuselage assembly for the Tejas Mk1A to HAL, strengthening India’s indigenous fighter jet programme. HAL is expected to hand over the first two Mk1A jets to the IAF in October, pending weapon trials.

Hyderabad: In a major boost to Tejas Mark-1A production, a light combat aircraft (LCA), the Hyderabad-based Vem Technologies Private limited successfully delivered the second centre fuselage assembly to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Thursday.

After handing over the first centre fuselage to HAL on May 30, 2025, the company manufactured and delivered the second fuselage in a record time of just three months. It planned to deliver three more centre fuselages by the end of this financial year, which will further enhance HAL’s production capacity.

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Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the HAL announced an update in the LCA Mk1A production development. “In a significant development for the LCA Mk1A programme, the second centre fuselage assembly for the Light Combat (LCA) Tejas Mk1A was handed over to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) by Indian private industry, M/s Vem Technologies on September 4, 2025,” the HAL posted.

The centre fuselage is the main structure of the aircraft that connects wings, house key systems and supports mission critical functions avionics and landing gear. The body is a semi-monocoque construction with both metallic and carbon fiber composite material, which is being made in the State.

The company manufactured a total of 1,595 components, which were inspected by the HAL quality agencies at every stage of manufacturing before getting assembled into the final centre fuselage assembly.

After manufacturing the parts, the company is involved in special process, inspection and assembly, which is done in its two assembly jigs set up in the State. The final integration is carried out by the HAL at its Bengaluru facility.

As per reports, after much delay, the HAL is expected to deliver the first two improved Tejas Mk1A fighters to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the month of October. However, they will be contingent on the weapon trails. Firing trials of Astra beyond visual range air-to-air missile, advanced short-range air-to-air missiles and laser-guided bombs, are expected to be completed this month.

So far, the IAF has received 38 of the first 40 Mark-1 fighters and it is yet to get the first Mk1A jet of the 83, which are to be actually delivered from February 2024 – February 2028 timeframe. The delay is attributed to delay in engines’ delivery by a US-based firm. The Central government has recently approved acquisitions of another 97 jets.