formally released a tender for the supply of 18 light combat-aircraft - dubbed as the "Fighter Lead In Trainer-Light Combat Aircraft" (FLIT/LCA), in an effort to supplant its ageing BAE Hawk 108/208 light-combat aircraft and its MB-339CM trainers. The RMAF later issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to nine different aircraft-manufacturing conglomerates in July, with a submission-deadline of September 2021 (this would later be extended to October 2021). In October 2021, the RMAF confirmed that the HAL — offering the HAL Tejas MK1A, had submitted its bid for the FLIT/LCA tender, along with five other international firms — Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) (offering the KAI FA-50), China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) (offering the HAIC L-15), Leonardo S.p.A. (offering the Aermacchi M-346), Turkish Aerospace Industries (offering the TAI Hürjet) and Rosoboronexport (offering the Mikoyan MiG-35). Coincidentally, the JF-17 — which was reported to be a leading choice for the RMAF, had not participated in the FLIT/LCA tender. Later that year, HAL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MMTC Ltd — a public sector firm, as a channelizing partner to facilitate the import of palm oil as a counter-trade to any potential sale of the HAL Tejas to the RMAF; this arrangement was initiated to fulfill a mandatory requirement of the RMAF — which stipulates that 50% of the total cost of the FLIT/LCA tender must be paid the winning contender through means of barter trade. HAL also signed another MOU with Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation (BHIC) — a major Malaysia-based defense contractor, to fulfill another mandatory condition of the RMAF — stipulating that the winning contender must locally procure at least 30% of products or services from Malaysian companies in the deal; the HAL-BHIC joint venture would offer a provision of "Depot Level Maintenance" i.e. providing reliability, availability, maintainability and supportability (RAMS) to the RMAF, should HAL win the FLIT/LCA tender. In July 2022, HAL announced that Malaysia has picked the Tejas to potentially replace its MiG-29s as negotiations are in the final stage. However, Tejas later failed to win the contract. Philippines In May 2022, India and the Philippines signed an MOU, which mentioned the consideration of purchasing the Tejas and other Indian-made aircraft. On July 7, 2022, the Tejas was dropped from further consideration from the multi-role fighter jet (MRF) project. The F-16V Block 70/72 and the JAS-39 Gripen C/D+ are the main contenders for