HAL Tejas Jet Fighter

[aksha]

pics 2015

FULL COMBAT LOAD

NAVY PROTOTYPE 1 with Centerline Fuel Tank

From June

LCA Trainer

 

[aksha]

and further confirmation comes from Saurav Jha, DRDO's unofficial spokesperson


All stakeholders are onboard with the Mk-1A configuration. Broad improvements: Uttam AESA, maintainability improvements, MAWS, DFCC Mk-2 etc

There'll be no IOC/ FOC campaign per se for the Mk-1A. The improvements will be made concurrently with the production process.
Uttam AESA is expected to be ready for airborne testing soon. Ground based testing has delivered encouraging results.
Modi would leave an enduring legacy if he can get everybody to work together to churn out the Tejas in numbers.
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summarising my last 4-5 posts

126 is a given, Long live the YELL-CEE-YAY

DRDO still hopes to put its own UTTAM AESA on board the LCA Mk1A
but HAL wants Elta 2052 AESA
and that may lead to problems.

 

[Deino]

Thanks .... as such all what is need to be done : Gear up production so that the IAF finally gets that type into service ... updates can be incorporated even later.

Deino

 

[aksha]

From an article from 1986,

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the 2 designs that were proposed for the LCA, then

one of the Designs look very close to the F16XL

 

[aksha]

Thanks .... as such all what is need to be done : Gear up production so that the IAF finally gets that type into service ... updates can be incorporated even later.

Deino

there's a brand new production line created for the Tejas,
sitting in Bangalore gathering dust for the past 2 years.

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[aksha]

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For years, the development of the

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(LCA) has followed a two-stage road map: First, an initial

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was to be developed, powered by the

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(GE) F-404IN engine. A more capable Tejas Mark II, featuring the more powerful GE F-414 engine, would follow this.

The Business Standard first reported (August 13, With Tejas Mark II years away, HAL asks air force to buy Tejas Mark 1A) the proposal to build an interim fighter, referred to as the Tejas Mark 1A.

Now the Business Standard has details of the interim fighter, which would fly with the same F-404 engine as the Tejas Mark I, but yet be more capable than the version currently cleared for production.

The aeronautical establishment is referring to the interim fighter as Tejas Mark 1A, though this name has not been officially allocated.

The Mark 1A will overcome a major drawback in the Mark I, the absence of a "self-protection jammer". Fighter aircraft have these "electronic warfare" (EW) systems to jam or blind enemy radars, preventing them from detecting the aircraft; and to prevent air-to-air and ground-to-air missiles from homing onto the fighter.

The Tejas Mark I was to have an "on-board EW system", but lacks the space for one. It has, therefore, been decided to develop an EW pod for the Mark 1A, which will be carried externally under the fighter's wing.

The Mark 1A will also have a mid-air refuelling probe to enhance its endurance and operational range. It will be integrated with long-range Derby and Python air-to-air missiles for aerial combat, and its internal systems will be re-arranged for better accessibility, making the fighter easier to maintain.

Ministry and Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) sources say defence minister

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has thrown his weight behind this initiative. At his persuasion, the

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(IAF) has begun preparing a procurement proposal for 80 Tejas fighters, over and above the 20 Tejas Mark I already on order in "initial operational certification" configuration.

The IAF had earlier agreed to buy another 20 Tejas Mark I, once the fighter obtains "final operational certification", a much-delayed landmark expected in early 2016. It is unclear whether that order will stand, or be integrated into the proposed order for 80 Tejas Mark 1As.

Parrikar's decisive move cuts a

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knot that has bedevilled Tejas production. For years Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the agency that will mass-produce the Tejas, has resisted increasing production-line capacity, because the IAF has only committed to buying 40 fighters. In a chicken-and-egg situation, the IAF cites HAL's slow production rate as the reason for not ordering more Tejas.

The result: In the past two years, HAL has built just one Tejas. Meanwhile, the IAF responds to its dwindling fighter numbers - now only 34 squadrons - with demands for quickly buying large numbers of the Dassault Rafale from France.

Parrikar calculates that, with an order for 100 Tejas in hand, HAL will have the business case for quickly boosting production to at least 16 fighters per year.

Meanwhile, the Tejas Mark II will continue development, say sources in the DRDO, which oversees the Tejas development programme.

A defence ministry official concurs, pointing out: "The Tejas Mark II is not just for the IAF. The navy believes the Naval Tejas must have an F-414 engine to be able to take off from an aircraft carrier's short deck. So Tejas Mark II development will continue alongside the Mark 1A."

With the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) - the

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agency that has built the Tejas - targeting 2022-23 for completing the Tejas Mark II, HAL has seven years of production of the Mark I and the Mark IA. The defence ministry calculates that a 100-Tejas order is essential to keep it working to capacity.

Meanwhile, alongside the Tejas Mark II, ADA would also be working on the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), an indigenous, fifth-generation fighter already on the drawing board. ADA engineers point out that advanced technologies being developed for AMCA would inevitably leak into the Tejas Mark II, making the light fighter more advanced than currently anticipated.

 

[aksha]

So is there a confirmed order for 120 LCA MK1's? I have looked but so far can't actually find a MoD release/quote saying so. Hopefully this is true and not another unnamed source article.

and final confirmation

from the mouth of the horse himself
Chief of Air Staff ,Air Marshall, Arup Raha
his exact words were, Livefist says

Ready to induct 120 LCA Mk1 on 2 conditions: higher production rate & proof/demo of radar/missiles/IFR: IAF chief Arup Raha

India Air Force Chief Marshal Arup Raha announced on Saturday that the induction of Rafale fighter jets is expected soon and that the IAF requires 6 more squadrons of Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft.

"Indian Air Force requires 6 more squadrons of Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft, MMRCA-type fighters in addition to 36 Rafales, provided they are affordable," Raha addressed the media here.

Admitting that the IAF is facing obsolescence problems like other air forces, the Air Chief said IAF would be fully net centric force in three years.

He said Air Force stands by its order for 120 Tejas fighters, which will be inducted as it is and be upgraded later.

According to reports, Indian and French defence officials had earlier held a fresh round of talks to negotiate the cost of 36 Rafale fighter aircrafts which India is buying from France.

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[Zool]

I don't want to be a downer but history and those conditional statements you quoted keep me skeptical as to what exactly has been agreed (If anything) between MoD-IAF and HAL on design and numbers for immediate manufacture and induction.

Has HAL and/or associated suppliers confirmed 100+ unit orders and their current efforts to begin ramp up to achieve those numbers? The reports on MK1-A to be accepted instead of the current MK1 also seem strange to me as they speak of a 1000kg weight reduction on an approx. 6500kg aircraft; that seems pretty spectacular to me. Also now a full AESA Radar from IAI and all of this with no additional IOC certification and testing before manufacture?

Again I don't want to rain on the parade so I made my earlier post and left it at that. But it seems to me there are still a lot of questions to be answered and still an actual order to be confirmed before this is a sure thing. If and when that happens it'll be a big day for Indian aviation and something Indians should absolutely celebrate!

 

[aksha]

The reports on MK1-A to be accepted instead of the current MK1 also seem strange to me as they speak of a 1000kg weight reduction on an approx. 6500kg aircraft; that seems pretty spectacular to me.

i agree on the weight reduction with you .
if they reduce 1000 kg they would need all thoe aerodynamic tests all over again.

as for the Israeli radar , the primary AAM' of the Tejas will be Derby and Python ,both of which are Israeli and shouldn't give much problems in integration.
the problem will be when the Astra comes under production.

the real problem will be if the DRDO gets the UTTAM AESA to clear its trials,
it was supposed to get FOC in December.
it will be a problem to integrate the Israeli Missiles with an Indian radar, if they don't share the source codes
and according to my friends , some of whom play golf near the HAL old airport,
the DRDO Radar testbed Hack has apparently woken up from its slumber and has been flying around frequently. the only reason could be that the UTTAM is under airborne trials

as for IOC /FOC
it could be as the IAF chief said,
batch by batch upgrade without change in weight,
and off course any upgrade has to be proven first, weapons trials etc.

He said Air Force stands by its order for 120 Tejas fighters, which will be inducted as it is and be upgraded later.

But Time Will Tell, as you said.

 

[tidalwave]

After purchase of 36 Dassault fighters from France, India tells its air force to buy LCA , part of Modi 's "Made-in-india" campaign to compete with Pakistan's JF-17 program,although LCA 's avionics and engines are all imported. Anyway, And its air force is Not too happy about that, first of all, its air force consider LCA is outdated, and limited ranged but most important of all, its pilot leery about the safety of the plane.