India’s AMCA stealth fighter program enters radar‑cross‑section testing

Commercial satellite images have captured the full‑scale engineering model of India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) undergoing radar‑cross‑section (RCS) testing at the specialised ORANGE RCS facility in Hyderabad. The test marks the programme’s entry into the stealth‑validation phase, a critical step for the fifth‑generation, single‑seat, twin‑engine fighter being developed for the Indian Air Force and Navy.

The Aeronautical Development Agency and DRDO have received government approval to move to prototype development, with the Ministry of Defence engaging private‑sector consortia for fabrication. Prototype rollout is projected for 2028‑29 and induction in the mid‑2030s. Foreign observers, particularly Chinese military‑aviation commentators and open‑source intelligence (OSINT) analysts, have closely examined the imagery, highlighting features associated with low‑observable design and noting an orange‑coloured section on the model. The episode illustrates the growing ability of international analysts to monitor sensitive defence projects using commercially available satellite data and online collaboration.