Andhra Pradesh has secured a major Aircraft Integration and Flight Testing Complex for India's fifth-generation fighter jet Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme at Puttaparthi in Sri Sathya Sai district.
The proposed facility, to be established by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is expected to play a major role in advancing India's indigenous combat aircraft and unmanned aerial systems programmes.
The facility will support aircraft assembly, systems integration and flight testing activities for the AMCA programme and other future combat aviation platforms being developed in India.
"Andhra Pradesh has secured the proposed Aircraft Integration and Flight Testing Complex for India's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme at Puttaparthi, reinforcing the state's emergence as a key destination for aerospace and defence manufacturing," said an official press release.
The project has received in-principle approval from the defence ministry following consultations between the government of Andhra Pradesh and the Centre.
As part of the approved framework, the Andhra Pradesh government will allocate a total of 350 acres, including 150 acres adjoining the Puttaparthi runway for the Aircraft Integration and Flight Testing Complex and another 200 acres for a satellite office complex and residential township.
The government will also facilitate extension of the runway to 10,000 feet, besides developing aviation infrastructure, including an Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, navigation systems and meteorological support facilities.
In May last year, the defence ministry granted approval for the AMCA programme execution model. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is set to execute the programme through an industry partnership.
A few days ago, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh had said the procurement process for AMCA is progressing with a request for proposal likely to be issued soon. "The procurement process is on, the RFP hopefully will be released soon to the shortlisted bidders who happen to be from the private sector, and hopefully that will then pick up pace," he had said.
