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HAL must see LCA Tejas as a great opportunity and deliver it fast and with great quality. Otherwise HAL will find itself walking into the sunset as competitors rise. The country will not be able to put up with this kind of monopoly for long. HAL cannot survive on screw driver projects any longer.

@Khagesh, if we are talking IAF vs PAF, the engagements are likely at shorter distances may be between 10km-30km. Pakistani airfields are not very far from the Indian border. Only in case of ingress from the sea route (let us say towards Mumbai) will actual BVR ranges will come in play. Su-30...

There is a serious planning problem in aviation. Aviation requires a big collaboration between R&D organizations, educational institutes, and industrial companies. HAL cannot drive aviation, it has to be done by a government initiative. It is too big a job for HAL. HAL is only a cog in the...

Dont know about IAF, but MOD will sure take a call. My gut feeling is MOD has already received counter-view on Rafale.

@abingdonboy, How long this contract has been in negotiation? It is a very good pointer to the state of affairs. If ACM is so confident, then let ACM come out with a timetable?

@abingdonboy, the MMRCA tender has run into major trouble. The GOI is finding itself in a very difficult position in this tender. It is not Rafale, it is the tender that can get killed. It may not happen immediately but GOI will have to take a call within 6-8 months. There are too many forces...

@Kunal Biswas It is interesting to see that IAF takes this government for fools. IAF is trying to mislead anybody and everybody. The problem of composites is ultimately tied to order size. India has no already established factories. The factories have to be set up for everything related to...

The first thing BJP government did was to release needed funds to DRDO. This has restarted stalled projects. However it will take some time before the results appear. Be patient. I am very confident that all major projects related to missiles, Tejas aircraft, and submarines will yield results.

The Congressi govt starved DRDO of funds (same with department of Atomic Energy). 10 years of Congressi rules has been absolute disaster for local projects. Many projects are not complete primarily due to lack of funds. It is easy to blame DRDO but nobody blames the government. The real blame...

The indigenous effort is definitely there, but they can still import from Israel for the 20 FOC fighters. This fills the gap until local radar is developed. They could not import it earlier due to restrictions from USA. I think El/M 2052 will give an edge to Tejas in BVR combat against most PAF...

Sometimes information is hard to come but I have a feeling that ELTA 2052 is the radar to be put on FOC fighters. Pure Indian effort is also ON in this field. The Tejas has acquired capabilities not foreseen by IAF itself. This is why I have said that Tejas has to put in the hands of the user...

I think it is more about sensors and weapons in case of Tejas than aerodynamics or control laws. They can simulate the control laws on the computer. If they prove AESA radar and weapons integration on Mark I, then Mark II is a much smaller challenge.

People forget that Tejas Mark I is constantly improving and is being validated on a number of test points. Whatever works for Mark I (for example integration with weapons) will automatically work with Mark II. Mark II is not a new or radically different plane.

The Mark II features: 1. AESA - DRDO is reporting good progress in this item. 2. Retractable refueling probe - going into Mark I now 3. F414 engine - to be done 4. Increase in length - to be done 5. Integration with BVR missiles, laser guided bombs etc. - progressing with Mark I

I know it is India. Russia has asked India to build GLONASS satellites for it. This India can send missions to moon and Mars. It may not be your India as you may be expecting something else, but it is definitely my India.

These are your assumptions. I am confident that Mark II will be flying in 2017.

F414 is same dimensions as F404. It is a drop in replacement for F404. I dont think the engine change is a major problem.

Very good move on the Government's part. It makes a lot of sense that LCA Mark II is built by private sector. The order can be split between HAL and private sector and two assembly lines can churn out the aircraft. This way HAL's current investment is protected, and a healthy competition is...

Tejas has a very good and fuel efficient engine. As the engine is basically same as on Gripen, the range figures of Gripen should be a very good indicator of the range figure of Tejas. The fighter plane's range depends on loadout vs fuel, so its is a complex calculation. I believe that 300km is...

The Tejas with Kavery will happen eventually. It may seem far-fetched now but the ominous war clouds developing now in Europe may mean that India may not get deliveries of foreign equipment as war demands will channel all output to the NATO nations. Even the Rafale deal is unlikely now if the...