ADA Tejas Mark-II/Medium Weight Fighter

[Chinmoy]

LCA AF Mk2 program details from ADA

LCA AF Mk2
10.1 Ba ckground: LCA AF Mk2 was conceived as the performance of LCA AF Mk1 was found inadequate with GEF404-IN20 engine The scope of FSED Phase 3 as per project sanction is as follows:-

Design, develop and build two aircraft with
- New Engine
- Necessary changes in the structure and systems to integrate the new engine
- Weight reduction to improve performance
- Unified EW Suite (UEWS)
- Development of new DFCC, its test facilities and integration
- Upgrade/modification/maintenance of test facilities

10.2 Additional Scope:

Extensive studies were carried out at ADA to make suitable changes in LCA AF Mk2 to address the maintainability issues observed in LCA AF Mk1, improve the systems like fuel, landing gear and brakes, electrical, armament etc. Also a number of new/upgraded systems have been incorporated to make the aircraft more contemporary. As a result, the scope for FSED Phase 3 increased substantially due to extensive changes incorporated to have an improved aircraft with improved performance in all aspects.

Important new/ upgrades of systems are listed
below:
- Introduction of 500mm plug in fuselage
- Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar
- On Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS)
- New Cockpit with larger size smart displays
- One Mission Management and Display Computer (MMDC) in place of two Open Architecture Computers
- HMDS based on optical sensor
- Smart HUD with improved Field of Vision
- Higher power Jet Fuel Starter
- Servo controlled Airbrake under the command of DFCC control
- Pressurized Fuel System
- Unified Pylon Interface Computer (UPIC) in place of individual Pylon Interface Boxes
- Combined Interrogator Transponder (CIT)
- Indigenous Actuators
- NVG compatible lighting

Activities Carried out:

Presently, the configuration of LCA AF Mk2 has been frozen with all the design improvements and Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been carried out in June 2014 and detail design is in progress. GE-F414 engine was selected as the higher thrust engine for LCA AF Mk2 and a contract was signed with M/s GE, USA in September 2012. The CDR of alternate engine has been completed. Engine is undergoing final qualification and lifing evaluation tests.

10.4 Milestones Achieved:
Following milestones have been
achieved:
- Configuration freeze
- Engine contract finalization
- In-board and NMG freeze
- PDR

10.5 Progress of Design and Development
Activities:

10.5.1 Configuration & NMG:
The configuration of LCA AF Mk2 has been frozen. The Numerical Master Geometry (NMG) has been revised based on recommendations of PDR Committee to improve performance. The changes in NMG have resulted in drag reduction and increase in fuel content by about 2 0Kg. These improvements are going to result in improved point and mission performance.

10.5.2 Inboards & Layout: The inboards have been finalised addressing the accessibility and maintainability issues observed in LCA Mk1.
- Layouts preparation is in progress.
- The station wise mass distribution is under finalisation.

10.5.3 Aerodynamics :

A number of aerodynamics improvements have been carried out to reduce drag and improve performance:
- Drag reduction studies have been completed. Canopy reshaping, outer cowl modification, actuator fairing extension and supersonic pylons
have resulted in approx 20 counts (8%) drag reduction in supersonic regimes.
- Wind Tunnel studies have been completed.
- Aero loads computations have been completed.

10.5.4 Airframe:
- Three door AAID finalised.
- BMI material developed for high temperature applications.
- Composite pipelines developed for ECS.
- Spine widened for providing accessibility and maintainability.
- Pilot step provided for pilot's emergency egress.
- SPS bay redesigned to improve maintainability.

10.5.5 Engine:
- Aircraft engine bay ventilation scheme has been finalised.
- Engine-Airframe Interface Control Diagram (ICD) has been prepared.
- Aircraft Qualification Tests have been completed.
- ASMET (Aircraft Simulated Mission Endurance Tests) results are under discussion.
- New JFS with higher torque GTSU-135 is under development.

10.5.6 Mechanical Systems:
- Layouts preparation and detail design is in progress.
- Feasibility to increase wheel size for increasing the capacity of brake system are in progress.
- Trials to offload one hydraulic system to reduce the load on JFS during starting are going on. This will help in cold weather high altitude operations.
- Liquid Cooling System configurations, separate for AESA and UEWS have been finalised.
- Studies to shift the Air to Air refueling probe to right are in progress to obviate probe coming in Field of View of Head Up Display (HUD).

10.5.7 Integrated Flight Control System:
- DFCC: CDR completed. Realization st of QT unit by 31 Dec 2016.
- Indigenous Actuators: Primary Actuators QT completed, Iron Bird testing completed. Being evaluated on LCA Mk1. Secondary Actuators
under development. Air worthy units will be available by December 2016.

10.5.8 Avionics:
- Avionics architecture has been finalised.
- New cockpit with bigger size (6”x8”) displays has been designed.
- Development of new LRUs is in progress.
- Avionics will be ready by Dec 2018.
- Configuration of Active Phased Array based Unified Electronic Warfare Suite (UEWS) finalised.
- The number of elements that can be incorporated with the existing geometry for the Antenna Array unit of AESA Radar has been finalised
and performance parameters like range and Effective Radiated Power (ERP) computed.
- Night Vi s ion Goggle (NVG) compatible lights for Navigation lights and Taxi / Landing Lights are being developed.
- Engineering models have been developed. Performance is being evaluated.
- Conformal antenna developed for V/UHF.

10.5.12 Interdisciplinary Studies: Following
studies are in progress to bring out
improvements in design:
- LCA AF Mk2 cockpit assessment for new anthropometric data received from IAF is in progress.
- Thermal mapping studies of aircraft are in progress.
- New installation scheme in Avionics Bay for better accessibility /maintainability is under finalisation.
- Rationalisation of drop tanks is in progress to reduce variety of drop tanks.
- Electrical modeling of LCA AF Mk2 to study indirect effect of lightning is in progress at IISc, Bangalore.
- Studies to bring out necessary changes in LRUs to have Push-fit type connectors for quick removal/fitment of the same have been completed.
- Weight reduction studies have been carried out and design improvements required to reduce weight have been identified.

Now this change in canopy shape means a bigger cockpit? Because in initial phase the cockpit shape had to be changed as it was touching the pilot's head after being closed. Now with this shape in place, it seems this issue would again raise. Although aerodynamically speaking, its much better then the present.

 

[Vinod DX9]

Comparing designs of Tejas Mk-II with some others

 

[Filtercoffee]

View attachment 15614 Comparing designs of Tejas Mk-II with some others

I just think as a dog fighter it needs a canopy design for a good rear view.

 

[lcafanboy]

LCA Navy arrester hook tests?

 

[tejas warrior]

LCA Navy arrester hook tests?

View attachment 15638

Awasome.

From where you got this picture ? Doesn't that source have more details ??

 

[indiatester]

LCA Navy arrester hook tests?

View attachment 15638

Very good. Are they fist testing with ground testing or is that picture from an actual landing?

 

[lcafanboy]

BREAKING: IDN EXCLUSIVE: DERBY MISSILE TEST FIRED FROM TEJAS
THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017 BY INDIANDEFENSE NEWS

The Derby AAM (top) can be integrated onto a variety of fighter aircraft such as TEJAS, F-16, Gripen & Mirage & is capable of engaging aerial threats from short & near-beyond visual range
Continuing with its successful stride of flight trails with missile tests, ADA's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS achieved a major milestone on Thursday. One of the limited series production (LSP) platforms fired a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) missile Derby and scored a direct hit, the test was conducted at the Interim Test Range, Balasore.
According to sources associated with the project, these weapon trials are part of the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) mandate.
Sources confirmed to IDN that the TEJAS fired the BVRAAM Derby missile on a Ballistic Guided mode.
The current trials are aimed at validating the accuracy of the missile.
Apart from Python and Derby, TEJAS has in its weapon menu the Russian-made CCM R-73, and the Israeli laser-guided bombs (LGB) Griffin and the Paveway.
"It's a great achievement. The next schedule will be decided based on our analysis." an official attached to the weapon trials program said.
http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2017/05/breaking-idn-exclusive-derby-missile.html

 

[WolfPack86]

According to some former insiders,Gripen is a better bet precisely SAAB can be used for both refining the LCA MK-2 design & producing it.
https://twitter.com/SJha1618?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

 

[lcafanboy]

30000000000000000000000000000

 

[kunal1123]

From idrw comment section............by psb
Friends, Tejas-mk1 is already in production & will get FOC by Dec'2017... In comparison, IOC-Gripen-E will enter production only in 2019... Swedish AF (SwAF) will be the 1st recipient of IOC-Gripen-E... Next, Brazilian AF (FAB) will start receiving their IOC-Gripen-Es in 2021... You can easily check this timeline for Gripen-E in an article by Reuben F Johnson, dated 11th May, 2017 in IHS Defense Weekly, www.janes.com, what Brigadier General, Mario Bruno Bonotto, Commander of the FAB's procurement command (COPAC) said on 9th May, 2017... ... Next, Gripen-E will receive its FOC in 2023 only... What the author thinks ?... Or, is he day-dreaming?... IAF will procure IOC-Gripen-E (or) will wait for its FOC till 2023 to start negotiations?... By that time, Tejas-mk2 will be ready -- eh!... Gripen is out of this race long time back, I think... Long live our Tejas efforts...

 

[Babloo Singh]

What happens to LCA II if Safran help's Kavari engine shed some weight & reach 95 Kn afterburner output.
Kavari was designed for LCA so there won't be any need for structural modification and it will resolve the main issue of LCA 1 being under powered.
Friends Your views please....

 

[kunal1123]

What happens to LCA II if Safran help's Kavari engine shed some weight & reach 95 Kn afterburner output.
Kavari was designed for LCA so there won't be any need for structural modification and it will resolve the main issue of LCA 1 being under powered.
Friends Your views please....

being under power is the main issue but it is not the only issue there are other that make mk2 imp. but if kaveri achieve same or greater thrust compare to ge 414 then it will be added bonus for our lca

 

[Vijyes]

What happens to LCA II if Safran help's Kavari engine shed some weight & reach 95 Kn afterburner output.
Kavari was designed for LCA so there won't be any need for structural modification and it will resolve the main issue of LCA 1 being under powered.
Friends Your views please....

That is the whole point of Kaveri development. We will get Indian engine

 

[Vijyes]

being under power is the main issue but it is not the only issue there are other that make mk2 imp. but if kaveri achieve same or greater thrust compare to ge 414 then it will be added bonus for our lca

Kaveri K9 is said to have 90-95kN thrust and K10 to have 100-110kN thrust. F404 has 89kN thrust while F414 has 98kN thrust. Both K9 and K10 would be able to give supercruise to AMCA though K9 will be slower and weaker. K10 would give supercruise of 1.2-1.6 mach

 

[kunal1123]

Kaveri K9 is said to have 90-95kN thrust and K10 to have 100-110kN thrust. F404 has 89kN thrust while F414 has 98kN thrust. Both K9 and K10 would be able to give supercruise to AMCA though K9 will be slower and weaker. K10 would give supercruise of 1.2-1.6 mach

super-cruise does not depend on mak wet thrust but depend on max dry thrust current k9 have dry thrust of around 55kn, f414 have dry thrust of 60kn. and still not enough for amca to be supercruise. current k9 is comparable to RD-33MK in output.
if k10 able to achieve 68-70 kn dry -105-110 kn wet thrust that will make our minimum requirement for amca to be supercruies

just for info both eurojet and ge working for 70+ dry thrust of f414 type .

wiki source
EJ2x0

Stage 1:

• The EJ2x0 with 20% growth compared to the original EJ200. The EJ2x0 engine will have dry thrust increasing to some 72 kN (or 16,200 lbf) with a reheated output of around 103 kN (or 23,100 lbf).[12]

Stage 2:

• The new engine plan to increase the output 30% more power compared to the original EJ200. The engine will have dry thrust of around 78 kN (or 17,500 lbf) with a reheated output of around 120 kN (or 27,000 lbf).[12]

 

[square]

According to some former insiders,Gripen is a better bet precisely SAAB can be used for both refining the LCA MK-2 design & producing it.
https://twitter.com/SJha1618?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

even reputed people start tweeting like common posters to get attantion.....
realy pathetic for a person like jha.

 

[Zebra]

According to some former insiders,Gripen is a better bet precisely SAAB can be used for both refining the LCA MK-2 design & producing it.
https://twitter.com/SJha1618?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

If I am not wrong, this is the same guy, who cried a lot in the name of "SAAB lobby" in India.

Does he still remember his "SAAB lobby" ...............!

 

[Vijyes]

If I am not wrong, this is the same guy, who cried a lot in the name of "SAAB lobby" in India.

Does he still remember his "SSAB lobby" ...............!

These so called reputed people are reputed because there are no one better, not because they are actually doing good work.

In defense reporting of India, we mostly find Sunny Leone journalists. Reputation is a joke

 

[Zero-Sum-Game]

can any of you guys comment upon the utilization of the thrust vectoring nozzles over the tejas platform?

 

[sjmaverick]

Kaveri K9 is said to have 90-95kN thrust and K10 to have 100-110kN thrust. F404 has 89kN thrust while F414 has 98kN thrust. Both K9 and K10 would be able to give supercruise to AMCA though K9 will be slower and weaker. K10 would give supercruise of 1.2-1.6 mach

I think is said to have is incorrect statement and planned to have is better articulation further it's always good to compare both dry and wet thrust . I will be more than happy if it can surpass 404 performance if it can excel 414 it's jackpot but outperforming 414 at this stage is day dreaming. Let's hope some official news comes out and France offset expedite actual test of engine on pv 1 in 2018