ADA's MCA concept is shed some light.

the last i recall reading about it it doesnot have internal weapon bays. essentially the biggest weakpoint of airframe .. unless they have the bays airframe isnt complete

so they aren't going with the tail-less delta configuration?

cough Kaveri cough.

the photos pasted have no credibility. so dont worry.
the whole selling point for MCA is its tailless delta design giving it very high stealth . u take that away and a lot changes in its prospects for funding.

so what's the point of funding millions into a design that wants to have stealth, yet does not have internal weapons bay... isn't that just ironic. but since MCA is still in development stages, i'm sure they can figure something out.

PiSigma said:

so what's the point of funding millions into a design that wants to have stealth, yet does not have internal weapons bay... isn't that just ironic. but since MCA is still in development stages, i'm sure they can figure something out.

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LCA is still in the conceptual phase. the development phase can only start when the govt approves the funding and that wont happen until LCA starts rolling out from factories. which is at least 2-3 years away from the prod to start. and 5 years from operational clearence.
But of course noone is interested in MCA except the ADA right now due to lack of internal bays, along with the fact that design is based on the Kaveri2 while kaveri 1 is still not out yet leave aside an improved version with TVC. Furthermore owing to the fact that india doesnt have experience in stealth at all and with the amount of time LCA took indian govt seems to prefer to collaborate with russia and learn more before starting another indigeneous project like MCA so that when MCA dec starts we shud know that we are not building a not so competitive product. ( which MCA will be in its current form ).

Actually, this is kind of interesting. Recently, the Russians said it's developing the 5th generation fighter on its own. I'm kind of getting confused here. Did India ever put money into the Pak FA? I thought they did, but I'm questioning it ever since the recent fiasco over Mikloyan's 5th generation design. Also, what kind of funding is MCA getting? As for engine, I don't think that's a huge problem. You can also make use of a Russian/American engine to start off and then slowly integrate an indigenous engine. After all, Gripen still uses an American engine.

i thought the rm12 engine on the gripen was a development of the GE 404,not a copy

is india perhaps aiming at both pakfa and mrca, using technical knoledge from pakfa to further the mrca, and then seeing whcih program goes further?

tphuang said:

Actually, this is kind of interesting. Recently, the Russians said it's developing the 5th generation fighter on its own. I'm kind of getting confused here. Did India ever put money into the Pak FA? I thought they did, but I'm questioning it ever since the recent fiasco over Mikloyan's 5th generation design. Also, what kind of funding is MCA getting? As for engine, I don't think that's a huge problem. You can also make use of a Russian/American engine to start off and then slowly integrate an indigenous engine. After all, Gripen still uses an American engine.

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the modes of investment from indias side have been more thru individual project contributions. in way of future upgrades for MKI. like radar etc. furthermore avionics is something u can fit on every plane. these are the things india will be interested in. if they like the airframe idea a lot they might help that too in parts of it like wings etc. and learn on the overall via placing their scientists in the project on the whole.

MCA is still in conceptual stage. the overall funding will start only when LCa goes in production. so theres still a lot of time. but indians would prefer to keep most systems like radars avionics etc and if possible a backup engine before the airframe development starts and for that pak-fa is imp for us