LCA Navy programme will deliver operational LCA Navy Mk-2 fighter only a decade from now
By Atul Chandra FORCE
Bangalore: The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) designed Light Combat Aircraft (Navy) is a highly ambitious project to develop the world's smallest and lightest, carrier borne fighter with an unstable delta configuration and digital Fly by Wire (FBW). The LCA Navy must cater for a low approach speed, Ski Jump take off capability, with critical management of Angle of Attack (AoA), and have a structure capable of absorbing high vertical speeds while landing on an aircraft carrier deck. For ADA, with no experience in designing such an aircraft, the task has proved to be monumental and the first flight of the LCA Navy Trainer Prototype (NP-1) has been delayed by over a year. It is expected to take place only in the first half of this year.
The delay cannot be good news for the Indian Navy which, committed as it is to indigenisation, can now realistically expect the LCA Trainer variant to achieve Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) by 2016, with Final Operational Clearance (FOC) expected two years later, by 2018. This would actually be very good going as ADA would have delivered an operational navy trainer with which selected aircrew could begin conversion training aboard an aircraft carrier.
Admiral Nirmal Verma speaking at the roll out of NP-1 stated that "The LCA Navy aircrew should have carried out conversion flying on the LCA Navy Trainer by 2014, as the indigenous aircraft carrier presently under construction in Kochi would also enter service at the same time." As per a report by the Comptroller and Audit General (CAG) last year, as of December 2009, only 35 per cent work on the indigenous carrier had been completed. Compared to NP-1, the LCA Navy Fighter Prototype (NP-2) will feature revised air intakes for better engine performance at low speeds, full navy-specified avionics suite and increased internal fuel. The programme, as it stands today, needs more than a decade of design, development and flight testing before being able to trap on deck as an operational, all weather fleet defence fighter, flying off an aircraft carrier. Former chairman (HAL) Ashok Nayak had requested an early order for Limited Series Production (LSP) production of the LCA Navy Trainer, as a lead time of three years is required, to manufacture the aircraft. These orders would then be dovetailed into HAL's existing orders. As it stands now, the LCA Navy Trainer will have only limited operational relevance.
More importantly, the final operational LCA Navy Mk-2 fighter version fitted with GE F-414 engines will be delivered only by the year 2021-2022 or a decade from today. The first flight of the Navy Mk-2 variant will realistically not take place before 2017-2018. This is because the IAF Mk-2 variant itself was given a four year time schedule and the GE F-414 engine (selection delayed by close to two years) will now come in only by next year (2013). This will be followed by at least two and a half to three years of flight testing to be completed, including Ski Jump and Arrested Recovery trials aboard a carrier. There is also the matter of the small number of aircraft being provided for testing with only two naval prototypes for Mk-2 variant being contracted for. HAL's ability to churn out the prototypes in time is also limited and the existing manpower and industrial resources to run major programmes like this, simultaneously, are limited. Succession planning of people involved with the project also needs to be catered for. P.S. Subramanyam, director ADA, is already on an extension and expected to retire this year.
Rather surprisingly, the LCA Navy was sold to the Indian Navy as a 'Minimum Change' programme, emerging as an offshoot of the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter version. However, while it is easier to convert an aircraft designed from the start for carrier operations to a land-based one, the other way round is much tougher. This was admitted as much by P.S. Subramanyam in an interview to FORCE, way back in 2010, when he said, "In hindsight, it would have been easier to design the naval variant first and then quickly move onto the air force variant and not the other way around. Our initial estimates on the amount of work required on the Naval variant were not quite accurate and the programme gave us some surprises." The LCA Navy Mk-2 fighter is expected to have only a 60 per cent commonality with its IAF counterpart. Unfortunately, ADA refused to provide an update on the LCA Navy for this article. Interestingly, it was the navy which showed more faith in the LCA by providing an initial funding of about Rs 900 crore for the naval variant in 2003, compared to the IAF, which did not invest any funds till the decision was made to purchase 20 fighters in 2006. The navy began showing serious interest in the programme from 1995 onwards.
The programme currently lacks the required numbers of naval test pilots and naval test engineers to work on the programme. This is essential as the stress of operating a fully-fuelled and armed fighter on a confined aircraft carrier deck is best understood by a naval aviator. According to Air Marshal Phillip Rajkumar (retd), "The Navy requires at least four pilots and four test engineers working on this programme full time, to complete development in a reasonable timeframe." The landing gear for the LCA Navy (NP-1) is also said to be overweight by almost 400kg and the LCA Navy Mk-2 will feature a revised undercarriage. The hefty looking landing gear has a longer oleo stroke and will take up more space while retracted into the fuselage, and uses the same schematics as the IAF version necessitating the use of a stay which has lead to an increase in weight. Without a doubt, the landing gear is overdesigned and it remains to be seen how best it will be resolved on the revised landing gear that will appear on the LCA Mk-2 Fighter and Trainer.
The decision to have two different types of landing gear on the Mk-1 and Mk-2 will mean that the new landing gear on the Mk-2 variant will need to be flight tested again. According to N.C. Agarwal, former director Design and Development (D&D) HAL, "Enough work will be carried out on Mk-1 aircraft and many teething problems will be resolved on it. However, there will be many new and unexplored areas that will require additional testing. This is true for any new programme." The delays also mean that obsolescence management needs to be looked at closely, as obsolescence of items like Line Replaceable Units (LRU), needs to be catered for.the navy trainer NP-1, hardware-in-loop simulation for the Flight Control System (FCS) testing called 'Iron-Bird' will need to be completed. On the 'Iron Bird', the entire hydraulics, FCS and avionics would be integrated for evaluation of the software. Failure states, emergency hydraulics and the Mission Computer (MC) need to be tested which can be done only on the Iron Bird. All failure states from the Digital Flight Control Computer (DFCC) go to the Mission Computer and the software between DFCC and MC needs to be tested on the Iron Bird before the first flight. This is a time consuming exercise where no shortcut can be allowed as it is critical for flight safety. The Control Law for the FBW will need to be modified and tested extensively on the LCA Navy NP-1, as there is no prior experience in this area, especially when trials are conducted off the aircraft carrier. The LCA Navy is being designed to have a 'Hands Free' take off. When an aircraft is launched 'Off the Deck' and leaves the Ski Jump, it is not able to sustain wing borne flight instantly. This means that the aircraft would sink immediately after clearing the Ski Jump, but needs to keep on accelerating while maintaining the optimum Angle of Attack (Alpha) at this time. This task is expected to be automated to a large extent and is understood to be progressing smoothly. The LCA Navy is also slated to have an auto throttle and autopilot.
Apart from this, there will be a large amount of flight testing required to prove carrier compatibility and demonstrate that the aircraft is capable of operation on an aircraft carrier. Flight testing will also need to cater to the Ski Jump testing at both the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) at Goa and on the actual aircraft carrier. The SBTF along with a landing area is expected to be complete this year. Towards this end, a significant amount of money has been spent in developing the SBTF, at Goa. The most critical tests for the LCA Navy will be those that will have to be performed aboard the aircraft carrier at sea. This would encompass testing to demonstrate the aircraft's wind deck envelope catering for cross winds and wind speeds. Ship motion testing will be challenging as well. Arrested recovery trials will also need to be done.
While the task at hand seems daunting, the LCA Navy carries many of the well accepted features from the IAF 'Tejas' programme. According to AM Rajkumar, "The Tejas will have very good flying qualities and has an autopilot in place, along with limiters in the Flight Control System (FCS). It will, therefore, be a safe and pilot friendly aircraft." Most of the software has already been developed and the aircraft geometry is proven. The LCA Navy is expected to have similar flying characteristics and also features a very good man machine interface. It will have Beyond Visual Range (BVR) and Close Combat Missiles (CCM) along with an AESA radar. One would expect that the LCA Navy will be able to launch the missiles that are currently in the Indian Navy inventory and also feature the Astra BVR missile at a later date. It would also be equipped with Laser designator pod and precision guided munitions. Integration of the required avionics/sensors/weapons required by the navy should not pose a problem as HAL has built up substantial capability in this area with Jaguar DARIN 2/3 upgrade and Mig-27 upgrade. On entering operational service with the Indian Navy LCA Navy, Mk-2 will most likely serve as a point air defence fighter for the carrier battle group.
The Indian Navy is committed to becoming a builders' Navy and it would seem that this extends to aircraft as well! While the service is most committed to indigenisation among the three services, the navy is said to be increasingly unhappy over the delays with LCA Navy programme. The Navy will face a stark choice in case the LCA Navy Mk-2 is unable to meet its operational requirements as promised to be delivered by its designers. The Indian Naval Air Arm has chosen the Mig-29 K as its main ship borne fighter and is most likely to be the only naval air arm to ever operate the type. The LCA Navy is crucial to the Navies' plan to acquire more numbers of smaller, less expensive and capable carrier borne fighter for its new carriers. One hopes that the LCA Navy is not late for its own party.
Turned out, it was Cmdr Sukesh Nagaraj, Deputy Project Director of the N-LCA program..I was blown away by this gentleman. Here was one of the top decision makers of the Tejas program and he was warm, friendly, forthcoming and genuinely interested in talking about the program without even asking me what my background was (till much later in my conversation). He was an engineer on the Sea Harrier, having served on the Viraat. Said he was rookie when Cmde Maolankar commanded the squadron. The salient points of the conversation with him were:
