AMCA - Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (HAL)

[scatterStorm]

Michael Koch, who is Boeing’s President for Defence, Space and Security in India, told BusinessLine that the aircraft maker is committed to producing Super Hornets in India. “The Super Hornets will be built in India in a world class advanced manufacturing facility with the very latest technologies in place, perfectly positioning India to build its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA),” he said.

Is that a hint? It seems Boeing would be one of the vendors selected for the NGTD.

I did mentioned on few other threads that possibly F18s Super hornets could be selected with the CFT version, making it a 'super duper hornet' variant. This makes sense, as I said in few of my post's that we should not be looking forward about just the jet, but the advanced manufacturing facility etc.

IMHO, F18 Block 3 is my choice, because the things we are offered with it. Now I am confused about the ToT (I think they are not agreeing on that part) but "advanced manufacturing facility" is a good bet too.

 

[Kshithij]

I did mentioned on few other threads that possibly F18s Super hornets could be selected with the CFT version, making it a 'super duper hornet' variant. This makes sense, as I said in few of my post's that we should not be looking forward about just the jet, but the advanced manufacturing facility etc.

IMHO, F18 Block 3 is my choice, because the things we are offered with it. Now I am confused about the ToT (I think they are not agreeing on that part) but "advanced manufacturing facility" is a good bet too.

What is advanced manufacturing facility? Hiw can an advanced facility exist without advanced technology being transferred?
You want some advanced manufacturing facility to manufacture simple metallic airframe?

 

[Kshithij]

STEALTH IS DONE?! Are they talking of those RAM nanomaterial ? That's a big deal. Not even the Russkies have managed to perfect stealth tech. They are focusing or aerial supermaneuverability to ensure the survival of the plane...

Russia and China also have RAM coating technology. But, unlike USA, Russia is not hyping on stealth. No matter what coating is used, the radar cross section won't be 0. It is not that RAM coating on MiG21 can make it stealth plane. So, considering the advancement in radar system to GaAs AESA and moving forward to GaN AESA, the stealth will be less and less meaningful. But maneuverability will always be useful for fighting and evading BVR.

The F35 made by USA has ended up as a unmaneuverable flying truck. Overemphasis on stealth has made its design bad and vulnerable to advancement in enemy radar ability

 

[rohit b3]

Check this out...

India's AMCA 5th Gen Stealth Fighter Prototype could be completed in 2019

We recently contacted our source in HAL who is working with AMCA project, and we asked him about the comments made by ADA Chief recently about the timeline. He said that 2025 is the timeline given which is correct but what our 'so-called’ journalists forgot to mention was that 2025 was not initial year but actually was the deadline given by MoD to ADA to make AMCA operational within the force. Though he said that AMCA’s Naval variant won’t come before 2025 (prototype). But the main AMCA variant which is meant for Air-Force is definitely coming in 2019 as a prototype for it’s first flight.

ADA modified the designs of AMCA which is the final design stage.

Now ADA-HAL is making 1:1 Model of AMCA for various tests related to stealthiness which would happen before the end of this year. This test will be the final procedure of AMCA before building it’s prototype which would start from 2018.

We also tried to get status of all component’s development and we succeeded. Here’s the update of AMCA’s component’s current status:

No.~ Item ~ Status~ Since~ ETA
1~ Design ~ Done~ 2008 ~ ~2017
2 ~Stealth ~ Done~ 2010 ~ ~ 2017
3 ~Composites ~Ongoing~ 2010 ~2017
4 ~Control ~Ongoing~ 2015 ~2018
5 ~Engine ~Ongoing~ 2017 ~2020
6 ~Avionics ~Ongoing~ 2013 ~2018
7 ~Equipment ~Ongoing~ 2013 ~2018
8 ~Radar ~Ongoing~ 2015 ~2019+
9 ~Sensors ~Ongoing~ 2015 ~2018
10 ~Cockpit ~Ongoing~ 2013-14 ~2018
11 ~EW & EC ~Ongoing~ 2013-14 ~2018

Source: Defence News

Old rubbish report..............

 

[Steven Rogers]

Russia and China also have RAM coating technology. But, unlike USA, Russia is not hyping on stealth. No matter what coating is used, the radar cross section won't be 0. It is not that RAM coating on MiG21 can make it stealth plane. So, considering the advancement in radar system to GaAs AESA and moving forward to GaN AESA, the stealth will be less and less meaningful. But maneuverability will always be useful for fighting and evading BVR.

The F35 made by USA has ended up as a unmaneuverable flying truck. Overemphasis on stealth has made its design bad and vulnerable to advancement in enemy radar ability

The design is more important factor for stealth. Most of stealth Comes from reflecting radar waves away from the source, ram coating and materials do help, carbon nanotubes composites are one factor, metamaterials sheet and ram coatings are other factors.

Sent from my Aqua Ace II using Tapatalk

 

[Mikesingh]

STEALTH IS DONE?! Are they talking of those RAM nanomaterial ? That's a big deal. Not even the Russkies have managed to perfect stealth tech. They are focusing or aerial supermaneuverability to ensure the survival of the plane...

I couldn't believe this myself!! But as Shakespeare said, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio than you can ever dream of." What's happening behind closed doors is anybody's guess!

But I would take this with a pinch of salt!!

 

[Steven Rogers]

I did mentioned on few other threads that possibly F18s Super hornets could be selected with the CFT version, making it a 'super duper hornet' variant. This makes sense, as I said in few of my post's that we should not be looking forward about just the jet, but the advanced manufacturing facility etc.

IMHO, F18 Block 3 is my choice, because the things we are offered with it. Now I am confused about the ToT (I think they are not agreeing on that part) but "advanced manufacturing facility" is a good bet too.

Hold your choices, tejas mk2 will itself be manufactured with new and advance precision manufacturing like Rafale, Euro fighter and other 5th gen aircraft with modular approach. The RFI major requirement is tot, so that technology development for AMCA can be done in small time Frame, the technologies into products will be started to develop in 2020s.

Sent from my Aqua Ace II using Tapatalk

 

[lcafanboy]

STEALTH IS DONE?! Are they talking of those RAM nanomaterial ? That's a big deal. Not even the Russkies have managed to perfect stealth tech. They are focusing or aerial supermaneuverability to ensure the survival of the plane...

I couldn't believe this myself!! But as Shakespeare said, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio than you can ever dream of." What's happening behind closed doors is anybody's guess!

But I would take this with a pinch of salt!!

Actually 1:1 metallic prototype will be rolled out first to check out flight profile & RCS. Later prototypes will incorporate all the stealth features & technologies. So yes it could be possible

 

[Prashant12]

A look at the specifications and belly of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). With external stores and internal carriage of weapons at the DefExpo 2018 in Chennai. #DefExpo18 #DefExpo2018 #AMCA#DRDO #ADA

 

[rohit b3]

A look at the specifications and belly of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). With external stores and internal carriage of weapons at the DefExpo 2018 in Chennai. #DefExpo18 #DefExpo2018 #AMCA#DRDO #ADA

Just 5 tons of external stores and only 8G? Really?

 

[Prashant12]

Just 5 tons of external stores and only 8G? Really?

Internal payload=3000Kg.
external payload=5000Kg.

Total payload of 8000kg.

 

[Suryavanshi]

Just one question where do they plan to fit the gun?

 

[Chinmoy]

Just one question where do they plan to fit the gun?

Conformal Wings top.................

 

[Kshithij]

Internal payload=3000Kg.
external payload=5000Kg.

Total payload of 8000kg.

Internal fuel + payload is 20 tonnes. So, to increase internal payload, the fuel will have to be reduced. I guess, it will be 6tonne fuel and 1-2 tonne payload internally. If the total weight is just 25tonnes, the 100kN Kaveri engine itself can power it to glory. The plane will have higher TWR than even MiG29K which has 2x90kN engine and MToW of 23 tonnes.

 

[Immanuel]

The F35 made by USA has ended up as a unmaneuverable flying truck. Overemphasis on stealth has made its design bad and vulnerable to advancement in enemy radar ability

That is a rather severe overstatement, there isn't any real evidence of it's lack of maneuverability. If anything, all test pilots claim, it's performance with a full internal load is better than the F-16 and the F-18SH. This is based on existing engines which are slated to a 10% uprate for Block 4. It's red flag performance proves this as well. Red Flag simulates a lot of types of combat and it is said to have done exceptionally well in both WVR & BVR regimes. Expect it to only get better with Block 4 and subsequent Blocks.

 

[Immanuel]

Internal fuel + payload is 20 tonnes. So, to increase internal payload, the fuel will have to be reduced. I guess, it will be 6tonne fuel and 1-2 tonne payload internally. If the total weight is just 25tonnes, the 100kN Kaveri engine itself can power it to glory. The plane will have higher TWR than even MiG29K which has 2x90kN engine and MToW of 23 tonnes.

100 KN Kaveri won't happen for a long time, if at all. Currently the F414 EPE is in lead to power the AMCA.

 

[Kshithij]

100 KN Kaveri won't happen for a long time, if at all. Currently the F414 EPE is in lead to power the AMCA.

100kN Kaveri is what is in line. The EPE F414 is for 110kN and that is still a dream. The Kaveri is likely to match F414 engines AFAIK and flat rated to F404 level

 

[Mikesingh]

Just 5 tons of external stores and only 8G? Really?

Number and effectiveness of weapons carried is what counts. According to ADA, the AMCA features an internal weapons bay which can carry four air-air missiles. A total of four missiles are carried in the internal bays, and there are external hardpoints for mounting up to six underwing pylons including two near wingtip and two for drop tanks/missiles.

Loadout diagram from ADA

So that's quite a loadout!

The F-35 Mk II can handle upto a max of 9g whereas for the AMCA it is 8g+. So there's hardly any difference with the F-35 Mk II. And maintaining 9g for even a few seconds will result in pilot blackout even with a g suit!

 

[Mikesingh]

100kN Kaveri is what is in line. The EPE F414 is for 110kN and that is still a dream. The Kaveri is likely to match F414 engines AFAIK and flat rated to F404 level

AMCA is to be powered by 2X GTRE k9 + or K 10 engine that can capable of producing 125Kn thrust each. Full scale development of the K 9 and K 10 engine is scheduled to be completed by 2019. But whether it would be alive a kicking by then is the moot point.

 

[Suryavanshi]

More than anything I'm worried about the engine, a underpowered engine would drag this plane down.
And we must look for indigenous solution for the engine tech.
Time is ripe if we let this chance escape we won't get in any more.