Naval LCA Tejas

sathya

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A two-seat prototype of a naval version of the Aeronautical Development Agency's (ADA) Tejas Mk I aircraft could have its first flight within the next three months.
The General Electric F404-IN20-powered aircraft is undergoing ground integration tests at Hindustan Aeronautics' facility on the outskirts of Bengaluru, said a senior official involved in the programme. This will be followed by engine runs and ground runs in the coming weeks.
"We expect the first flight within three months, but this is a bit optimistic because this is the first build of the airplane," said the official. "After the ground integration and engine runs we should discover if the aircraft is stable. After this we will conduct ground runs, followed by a first flight."
The official added that the ADA has asked the US Navy to help it define carrier suitability plans. He said the USA has been forthcoming with information.
The Indian government has approved two prototypes of the naval Tejas the first a two-seat trainer and the second a single-seat fighter. The official added that the Indian navy is likely to rename its version of the Tejas, which is also known as the light combat aircraft.
"Our focus is demonstrating the aircraft's carrier suitability," said the official. "We want to show the aircraft can take off from a ski-jump and perform an arrested landing."
In the first six to eight months after the aircraft's first flight it will undergo flight tests at Bengaluru. Then it will move to Hans naval air station near Goa, where a special facility with a ski-jump and arresting gear is being constructed with equipment from Russia.
Before a full arrested landing takes place, taxi-engagement and carrier-style approaches with the hook extended will take place.
If developed as a production aircraft, the naval Tejas would serve aboard the two Vikrant-class indigenous carriers being developed that should enter service at the end of the decade. It is not likely to serve aboard the INS Vikramaditya, formerly the Russian carrier Admiral Gorshkov, which could enter service at the end of 2012, or the INS Viraat, a former UK Royal Navy carrier expected to serve until 2020.
"This is the first time India is developing a naval aircraft, so it will be challenging," the official said.
The naval version of the Tejas has a number of modifications from the baseline aircraft. It has longer and strengthened landing gear, an arrester hook to enable landing on an aircraft carrier and additional control surfaces, and a leading edge vortex controller to reduce the fighter's required speed on approach to the vessel. Its front fuselage has also been changed to provide the pilot with better visibility over the nose.
 

agentperry

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good move but still things are not getting materialized with the required pace.
 

JAISWAL

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ok this article is of Prasun c. Gupta's so dont know how much credible it is but a good read.
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The LCA (Navy) programme involves development of the NP-1 tandem-seat operational conversion trainer and NP-2 single-seat multi-role combat aircraft (to be rolled-out before the year's end), one structural test specimen for fatigue-testing, creation of Navy-specific flight-test facilities in Bengaluru and Goa, construction of a shore-based flight-test facility or SBFT at INS Hansa in Goa (for enabling arrested landing recovery, plus takeoff from a half-metal half-concrete 14-degree ski ramp and a flight deck ranging from 195 metres to 204 metres in length, and validating the simulation model for flight performance within ship-motion limits, validating the flight controls' strategy with all-up weight and asymmetric loading, validating the load analysis methodology), and flight-tests/flight certification for aircraft carrier-based flight operations. The SBTF will also have its integral flight-test centre equipped with line-of-sight telemetry/high-speed three-axis photogrammetric systems, systems for validating thrust measurement algorithms, systems for measuring wind-flow patterns, INS/DGPS-based trajectory measurement systems, RGS integration facility, plus a workshop.

The NP-1/2 models will also be subjected to a carrier-based flight-test regime on board INS Vikramaditya, where seaborne wind conditions winds-on-deck envelopes (especially ship motion, cross-winds and high wind-on-deck speeds) are likely to be more favourable than those around the SBTF. Integration with carrier-based support and weaponisation facilities, plus jettisioning of ventral stores, thrust data validation, and attaining hands-free and non-disorienting takeoff with supplied HUD symbology formats and high angles of attack will also be demonstrated in this phase of flight-tests. Incidentally, since the Indian Navy is involved for the very first time in its history with developing a carrier-based MRCA, it is resigned to the possibility of one of the two LCA (Navy) technology demonstrators 'breaking up' while in the process of subjecting the aircrafts' main landing gears to arrested recoveries at sea. It must be noted here that the undercarriages of carrier-based aircraft collapse or break-up not due to compression, but due to suspension.

Compared to the Tejas Mk1, the LCA (Navy) Mk1 is a technology demonstrator that features a drooped nose section, strengthened airframe structure, twin leading edge vortex control surfaces (for attaining lower approach speeds), main landing gear with higher sink rate (which is presently over-designed and too strong, and requires streamlining), increased internal fuel capacity, a Navy-specific avionics suite (including the autopilot and auto-throttle) and weapons package, and an arrester hook. The definitive aircraft carrier-based MRCA, which the Navy will operationally induct into service by 2020 (and use it for the following 20 years), will be the LCA (Navy) Mk2, 46 of which will be powered by the F414-IN56 turbofan.

Although the NP-1/2 will both be armed with RAFAEL-built Derby and Python-5 air combat missiles, it is envisaged that the LCA (Navy) Mk2s will be armed with the Astra/Python-5 air combat missiles combination

TRISHUL: LCA (Navy) Programme Detailed
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lambu

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LCA (Navy) Programme Detailed

The LCA (Navy) programme involves development of the NP-1 tandem-seat operational conversion trainer and NP-2 single-seat multi-role combat aircraft (to be rolled-out before the year's end), one structural test specimen for fatigue-testing, creation of Navy-specific flight-test facilities in Bengaluru and Goa, construction of a shore-based flight-test facility or SBFT at INS Hansa in Goa (for enabling arrested landing recovery, plus takeoff from a half-metal half-concrete 14-degree ski ramp and a flight deck ranging from 195 metres to 204 metres in length, and validating the simulation model for flight performance within ship-motion limits, validating the flight controls' strategy with all-up weight and asymmetric loading, validating the load analysis methodology), and flight-tests/flight certification for aircraft carrier-based flight operations. The SBTF will also have its integral flight-test centre equipped with line-of-sight telemetry/high-speed three-axis photogrammetric systems, systems for validating thrust measurement algorithms, systems for measuring wind-flow patterns, INS/DGPS-based trajectory measurement systems, RGS integration facility, plus a workshop.

follow link for further reading ...

TRISHUL
 

Sridhar

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lca Tejas Update

Naval Prototype (NP-1) which was grounded for over more then a year to fix landing gear issues has once again joined the test flights with modified landing gear and after few test in Bangalore will soon move to Naval base INS Hansa in Goa for further trails there , Shore-Based Test Facility (SBTF) in INS Hansa is almost complete and this facility will be used to train Naval pilots for aircraft carrier roles .


lca Tejas Update | idrw.org
 

rugved

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Can the naval Tejas take-off from a CATOBAR and STOBAR type aircraft carrier?
 

Defcon 1

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Why? does it require even heavier landing gear? Does the catapult put more load than a ramp?
Yes. In addition, Naval Tejas was always designed as a STOBAR as IAC 2 was not in the picture at that time, so we were going for STOBAR carriers only.
 

rugved

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Yes. In addition, Naval Tejas was always designed as a STOBAR as IAC 2 was not in the picture at that time, so we were going for STOBAR carriers only.
I don't think India has the technology and the interest to produce a CATOBAR aircraft carrier. So developing a Tejas specially for CATOBAR take-offs is anyway invalid.
 

rvjpheonix

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I don't think India has the technology and the interest to produce a CATOBAR aircraft carrier. So developing a Tejas specially for CATOBAR take-offs is anyway invalid.
We are in the process of finalising IAC 2 which will be a CATOBAR carrier. I dont think that tech to be much of a hurdle. It will definitely need research and time but I guess we can do that what the british and americans did so long back.And as a matter of fact we even operated a CATOBAR carrier. INS viraat or vikrant was a CATOBAR for some years.
 
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rugved

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We are in the process of finalising IAC 2 which will be a CATOBAR carrier. I dont think that tech to be much of a hurdle. It will definitely need research and time but I guess we can do that what the british and americans did so long back.And as a matter of fact we even operated a CATOBAR carrier. INS viraat or vikrant was a CATOBAR for some years.
An aircraft carrier built with the CATOBAR technology is certainly a hurdle for India because such aircraft carriers consume more fuel than the STOBAR and STOVL aircraft carriers. Hence the American navy had to reinvent the CATOBAR aircraft carrier technology to now a nuclear-powered CATOBAR aircraft carrier which consumes lesser amount of fuel. I don't think India still has the expertise to build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
 

rvjpheonix

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An aircraft carrier built with the CATOBAR technology is certainly a hurdle for India because such aircraft carriers consume more fuel than the STOBAR and STOVL aircraft carriers. Hence the American navy had to reinvent the CATOBAR aircraft carrier technology to now a nuclear-powered CATOBAR aircraft carrier which consumes lesser amount of fuel. I don't think India still has the expertise to build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
You talk like it is compulsory for a catobar to have nuke power.It is not so. There have been and there are many CATOBAR carriers with normal propulsion.I know they are costlier to operate but why will they consume more fuel??? I know energy is required for catapults but I think that will be insignificant compared to total power produced by the carrier. @Decklander sir your views? Do the catapult assisted lauch also have to take place when the carrier is moving forward at considerable speed like in the case of harriers taking off?
 
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rugved

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You talk like it is compulsory for a catobar to have nuke power.It is not so. There have been and there are many CATOBAR carriers with normal propulsion.I know they are costlier to operate but why will they consume more fuel??? I know energy is required for catapults but I think that will be insignificant compared to total power produced by the carrier. @Decklander sir your views? Do the catapult assisted lauch also have to take place when the carrier is moving forward at considerable speed like in the case of harriers taking off?
Did I say that anywhere or even give the slightest of hint in any of my replies? I only want to say that the CATOBAR is the best system for aeroplane launches on aircraft carriers; however it only has one problem that it consumes lot of fuel. So this technology will prove very costly for India since oil constitutes our maximum import. The only way this technology would make sense is if the MoD decides to develop and use a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
 
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rvjpheonix

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Did I say that anywhere or even give the slightest of hint in any of my replies? I only want to say that the CATOBAR is the best system for aeroplane launches on aircraft carriers; however it only has one problem that it consumes lot of fuel. So this technology will prove very costly for India since oil constitutes our maximum import. The only way this technology would make sense is if the MoD decides to develop and use a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
Costly as fuel is I dont think it will be as costly as nuke powered. Plus we have very less amount of uranium. Anyways you havent answered me as to why CATOBAR will use a lot more fuel. Maintaining a carrier is costly. I dont think the navy will mind spending a few extra bucks in lieu of the extra capablity we get.
 

rugved

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Costly as fuel is I dont think it will be as costly as nuke powered. Plus we have very less amount of uranium. Anyways you havent answered me as to why CATOBAR will use a lot more fuel. Maintaining a carrier is costly. I dont think the navy will mind spending a few extra bucks in lieu of the extra capablity we get.
I was reading a research articles the other day on the internet and I came across the reason as to why CATOBAR consumes a lot of fuel as compared to other conventional aircraft carriers. Unfortunately I didn't save the URL of the article but I am pretty sure that that's the case. Anyway, you can read this as a reference to my claims:

The Advantages of Expanding the Nuclear Navy
 

lookieloo

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I was reading a research articles the other day on the internet and I came across the reason as to why CATOBAR consumes a lot of fuel as compared to other conventional aircraft carriers. Unfortunately I didn't save the URL of the article but I am pretty sure that that's the case. Anyway, you can read this as a reference to my claims:

The Advantages of Expanding the Nuclear Navy
That's about ship-size only and has nothing to do with CATOBAR capability. Fact is, far more CATOBAR ships have been built and operated without nuclear power than with it. That said, there has been speculation that sometime in the future, it may become cheaper for ships over ~40,000 tons to ditch fossil-fuel. For the time being though, the advantages of nuclear power in aircraft carriers remain non-fiscal-related.
 

Waffen SS

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lca Tejas Update

Naval Prototype (NP-1) which was grounded for over more then a year to fix landing gear issues has once again joined the test flights with modified landing gear and after few test in Bangalore will soon move to Naval base INS Hansa in Goa for further trails there , Shore-Based Test Facility (SBTF) in INS Hansa is almost complete and this facility will be used to train Naval pilots for aircraft carrier roles .
Sir will these Naval LCA have STVOL ability like Indian navy's current Harriers?



Indian navy Harrier during vertical Take off.
 
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