India’s indigenous defence ecosystem has achieved a significant milestone with the Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE). The advanced fire-control radar has completed extensive flight trials on two Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas prototypes, LSP-2 and LSP-3, successfully validating its performance in both air-to-air (A2A) and air-to-ground (A2G) modes. This accomplishment highlights India’s growing ability to develop cutting-edge airborne sensor systems tailored to modern combat requirements.
The Uttam radar program has accumulated substantial flight hours through rigorous testing on Tejas platforms. By December 2025, it had completed over 150 sorties on Tejas Mk1 prototypes, building on earlier trials conducted on LSP-2 and LSP-3. These evaluations covered full operational modes, demonstrating consistent performance in target detection, tracking, and engagement under realistic conditions. The results reflect the maturity of the indigenous system, with ongoing refinements in software, hardware integration, and mission-specific capabilities.
The Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) has confirmed the successful completion of four major stages of flight trials and associated hardware validation. This achievement clears the path for production approvals and integration into frontline aircraft. With certification in place, the radar is now positioned for serial production and deployment on Tejas Mk1A variants, along with potential upgrades across the Indian Air Force fleet.
Comparative analyses suggest that the Uttam AESA radar performs competitively against global systems. It is reported to deliver around 25% improvement in detection range, resolution, and multi-target tracking compared to the Israeli EL/M-2052 radar used in earlier Tejas variants. With a higher density of Transmit/Receive modules—approximately 980 in optimized configurations—the radar enhances situational awareness, improves detection of low-observable targets, and performs effectively in contested electromagnetic environments.
A defining feature of the Uttam program is its high level of indigenization, achieving nearly 95% domestic content with minimal reliance on imported components. This reduces external dependency while providing greater flexibility for upgrades and maintenance. The achievement aligns with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and positions Uttam as a scalable solution for future platforms such as Tejas Mk2, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), and upgrades to legacy fighter fleets.
