India’s next-generation medium-weight fighter aircraft, the Tejas Mk2, is undergoing a notable design shift with the decision to move its cannon from an internal mount to an external podded configuration, marking a clear departure from the layout used in the Tejas Mk1 and Mk1A variants.
According to officials and engineers familiar with the programme, the internal gun has been removed to free up valuable space within the airframe, which will instead be allocated to a new multipurpose internal station. The change reflects a broader reassessment of priorities in modern fighter design, where internal volume is increasingly reserved for sensors, electronics, and computing power rather than traditional mechanical systems.
The Tejas Mk2, being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in partnership with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), is positioned as a 4.5-generation fighter that will significantly expand the Indian Air Force’s medium-weight combat fleet. Compared to its predecessors, the Mk2 is larger, more powerful, and designed to carry a heavier payload with enhanced range and survivability.
One of the most persistent challenges in fighter aircraft development is the scarcity of internal space. As avionics, electronic warfare systems, cooling infrastructure, and data-processing hardware grow more complex, designers face difficult trade-offs. By relocating the gun to a detachable external pod, engineers have reclaimed a high-value internal volume that can be used for mission-critical systems.
Open-source assessments suggest the newly freed space could host advanced equipment such as the Unified Electronic Warfare Suite (UEWS), high-speed mission computers, or additional signal processing units. These systems are central to the Tejas Mk2’s ability to operate in a network-centric battlespace, where real-time data sharing, electronic attack, and sensor fusion play a decisive role.
In contemporary air combat doctrine, close-range dogfighting has become less dominant than in previous decades. While a cannon remains useful for certain scenarios, including ground attack and last-resort aerial engagements, modern fighters are increasingly judged by their ability to detect, track, and engage targets at extended ranges using integrated sensors and beyond-visual-range weapons. The Tejas Mk2’s design evolution reflects this shift.
By opting for a podded gun, the aircraft retains the option of kinetic firepower without permanently dedicating internal space to it. Operationally, this provides the Indian Air Force with greater flexibility. For missions that demand a cannon—such as close air support or specific strike profiles—the gun pod can be fitted. For others, including long-range strike, air defence, or reconnaissance missions, the aircraft can fly without the pod.
Flying “clean” without the gun pod offers tangible advantages. Reduced external stores lower aerodynamic drag, improving fuel efficiency and operational range. The absence of the pod also slightly reduces the aircraft’s radar cross-section, enhancing survivability in contested environments where enemy air defences and fighters are equipped with advanced sensors.
The move also aligns with global trends in fighter development, where modularity and adaptability are increasingly prioritised. Several modern combat aircraft rely on external solutions for secondary systems, allowing air forces to tailor configurations to specific missions rather than committing to a fixed layout.
Strategically, the Tejas Mk2 is intended to bridge the capability gap between the lighter Tejas Mk1A and India’s future fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). As such, its design emphasis has shifted toward sensor dominance, electronic warfare, and seamless integration into joint and networked operations.
By adopting an external gun pod and repurposing internal space for advanced systems, the Tejas Mk2 programme underscores India’s focus on future-proofing its combat aviation fleet. The aircraft is being shaped not just as a traditional fighter, but as a digitally enabled platform designed to operate effectively in the increasingly complex and technology-driven air combat environment of the coming decades.
