The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has issued a fresh tender to update the aircraft performance model of the LCA AF Mk2, reinforcing India’s drive for self-reliance in combat aviation. Dated 9 December 2025, the tender covers a work package to refine aerodynamic and engine data, generate updated performance prediction models, and prepare flight performance charts for the first block of test flights. The contract seeks specialised support to integrate ground-test and simulation inputs, coordinate closely with ADA’s flight-test teams in Bengaluru, and iteratively tune the model as real flight data becomes available. This step comes as the LCA Mk2 programme moves towards its maiden flight in the second half of this decade, with the more powerful, larger Tejas variant intended to replace legacy foreign fighters and emerge as a mainstay of the Indian Air Force’s indigenously designed fleet.