ADA Tejas (LCA) News and Discussions

[Defenceindia2010]

Lets see them in large numbers in the IAF inventory.

 

[Twinblade]

Just saw the live webcasts on Tejas prgram by Air Cmde KA Muthana, Project Director (Flight Test), NFTC, ADA and Mr Shyam Chetty, Director, NAL, CSIR .

Cmde Muthana had a half hour diatribe over the way program was run but praised the final product.

Mr Shyam Chetty revealed an interesting tidbit about Naval Tejas, it will feature an automatic 'Hands Free' take off feature for STOBAR operations. Testing of automatic take off will start soon at INS Hansa, Goa.

 

[p2prada]

Re: HAL gears up for first flight of Tejas LSP-8 and LCA series produc

Can someone tell, whether the LSPs been tested to their maximum performance limits ??

Two more years before flight envelope is fully opened. It may be achieved on one of the SP models.

 

[A chauhan]

Some new pics of LCA are in the Livefist someone please post them here, nice pics :thumb:

 

[Defcon 1]

Bad news for the LCA program. ADA not satisfied with the current radome.

Livefist: Reality Check: Tejas Needs A New Radome

 

[Kunal Biswas]

ADA is looking for another radome to compare -- if the new one is better, great. If it isn't, tough, they'll stick with the old one, though surface smoothness needs to be "equivalent or better".

Looks like they just want slightly a better one, If not then its ok according to ADA, If the dimensions are same latter these LCA can be upgraded..

I think @SpArK posted this before in details..

Bad news for the LCA program. ADA not satisfied with the current radome.

Livefist: Reality Check: Tejas Needs A New Radome

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Freeze design issues early for timely delivery of products: Antony

The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony today asked all stake holders to have regular deliberations and solve their problems within the initial stages of any project or programme for timely delivery of the same to the Services. Speaking at an international seminar on " Challenges in Design to Deployment of the Aerospace Products" on the eve of the inauguration of Aero India 2013 in Bangalore, Shri Antony said 'our Mantra must be jointness in day-to-day working, if we wish to suceed in reducing the content of the imported weaponry and increase the indigenous content.'

Tarmak007 -- A bold blog on Indian defence: Freeze design issues early for timely delivery of products: Antony

 

[Defcon 1]

Looks like they just want slightly a better one, If not then its ok according to ADA, If the dimensions are same latter these LCA can be upgraded..

I think @SpArK posted this before in details..

I did not find spark's post on this thread or in the IAF subforum. Sorry if I have overlooked something.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

No Issues, I think it was in last thread..

 

[sasi]

Terming time slippages as a"real problem" for the defence forces, Defence Minister A K Antony today pulled up the DRDO for"delays in delivery" of military projects and said he was "impatient" to see completion of LCA project.
"I am happy for your achievements of DRDO but not fully happy. Delay in delivery is a real problem... Try to speed up your process and reduce time for research, development and production. Delays should be avoided," he said while addressing an international seminar here.
The seminar 'Aerospace products- challenges in design to deployment' was held as part of the biennial Aero India show.
On the Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' project, he said the DRDO was getting ready for the second Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) of the indigenous fighter but "I am impatient for the Final Operational Clearance (FOC)."
The LCA project has been delayed by more than 20 years.
After the FOC for the aircraft,the aircraft would be ready to be deployed for operational deployment in theIAF.
The Defence Minister also expressed concern over the delay in the Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) programme being developed by HAL, saying the IAF has"problems" with it.
"That (IJT) project is delayeddelayed delayed. You must focus on that project and by next conference that should be ready," he said.
Speaking on the occasion, IAFChief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne also expressed his unhappiness over the delaysin development projects.
"So far our modernisation plans have been restricted due to slippages in time lines of many of our projects," he said.
The IAF chief also suggested imposition of "financial penalties in case of poor performance of the work centre, either by withholding further payments or recovery of money already spent."
To avoid problems in development projects in future, Browne suggested there should be "dual assessment" and the production and design agencies should be one. In the LCA project, the design agency is Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of DRDO while HAL is the production agency.
In his address, the Defence Minister urged both private and public sector to shed their "miserly attitude" and increase their allocation for research and development in
their companies.
"I am not satisfied with the investment in R&D in government also. The private sector is very very poor in R&D sector," he said.
Antony said to continue the momentum of rising GDP and growing economy, the Indian industry will have to match up with global standards and for that investment in R&D will have to be increased.
He warned the Indian industry that "era of cheap labour and cheap access to natural resources" is going to be over soon and the onlyway they could be able to match up with the global industry would be through increased efficiency.
Commenting on a future project to replace 56 Avro aircraft in the IAF, Antony said the Government has tried to give more role to theprivate sector despite HAL being "little unhappy and littleangry" over it.
"We are giving more space to the private industry. Eventhough HAL is little unhappy and little angry, it has agreed to give chance to Indian private sector for the Avro
replacement programme, it is a beginning," he said.
The Minister said if the programme succeeds, it will create rivals for the HAL, which so far does not have any competition.
"They will also see competition. I want some rivals for HAL. That is how HAL would become world-class company," he said.
Under the Avro replacement project, the IAF is planning toissue a global tender next month under which Indian private sector companies would be allowed to form jointventures with foreign companies to produce transport aircraft.
Antony impatient to see completion of LCA project - Indian Express

 

[ersakthivel]

I did not find spark's post on this thread or in the IAF subforum. Sorry if I have overlooked something.

See the guy just sensationalizes news items, with no technical explanation of what is wrong with the RADOME.

He does not even specifies whether it is part of a private sector participation initiative taken on by ADA or whether it is for ASEA of MK-2 or MK-1?

and most of the posters are there are at the same level of anonymous excellence not knowing anything technical, and they just jump like frogs in a well for all the so called scoops he dumps.

sensational journalism should never be mistaken for genuine defense reporting.

He never ever goes to any technical people associated with the program or any other outside technical expert for any clarification on any item he posts that require deep technical explanation.

Even if you visit the blog for another thousand years you would be a technical illiterate not knowing even simple things that are explained in other debate based forums.


RADOMEs are produced in HAL for all kinds of fighters from SUKHOI to MIGs for ages , it is no rocket science.

He never writes any deep analysis or comparision of any thing.

product improvements are always an ongoing process, no fault of tejas program is a top secret. It has been torn apart in every media .

As tejas LSp-7 in operational configuration is already in IAf's hands , where is the need for this naval gazing.

 

[sasi]

The much-delayed indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas aircraft is expected to be ready for induction into operational service by 2015, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne said today.
Talking to reporters, the IAF chief said the indigenous aircraft will have to be modified further for operating in high-altitude areas as recently during trials in Leh, its engine "did not work".
"By my estimate it (the Initial Operational Clearance II) should be by the end of this year and the Final OperationalClearance (FOC) should take another year-and-half more,"he said on the sidelines of a seminar.
The FOC is the final nod required before an aircraft is considered to be ready for operational deployment in an air force. While the IOC I of theLCA Tejas was completed two years ago, but the FOC date has been postponed due to certain issues.Browne said delays do take place in a development project such as the LCA. "Recently we went forhigh-altitude trials. The engine (of LCA) did not work atthat altitude because it is a different cup of tea. Even the Su-30, when it was taken to Leh, it had to be modified. So, the LCA will have to be modified. It has to do the retrials," he said.
The IAF chief said the aircraft will take part in the exercise 'Ironfist', which will be held at Pokharan in Rajasthan on February 22.
"There it will be firing the R-73 missile along with laser guided bombs etc. But a lot more work is still required," he said.
Earlier at an international seminar here, DRDO chief V K Saraswat said the LCA had completed 2,000 test flights.
At the same seminar, Browne said the IAF is planning to induct around 350-400 aircraft in the 12th Defence Plan period.
The air force is planning to procure more than 200 fighteraircraft including the 126 Rafale medium-multirole combat aircraft, over 40 Su-30MKIs, several types of transport aircraft and variouschoppers, he said.
Listing the major modernisation milestones achieved by the air force, he said the IAF signed 325 contract worth Rs 1.52 lakh crore for modernising the force.
"Of these, 217 contracts worth around Rs 84,000 crorehave been signed with Indian companies," the IAF chief said.
In 2013-14, the IAF is planningto sign several deals includingone for 126 Rafale aircraft, additional six C-130J Super Hercules and several choppercontracts for attack and heavy-lift category, he said.
On the future requirements of the force, he said advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, electronic warfare suites and unmanned combat aerial vehicles were the need of the force in the future.
The IAF chief said testing facilities of DRDO and defence PSUs should be opened up for private sector as they are national assets.
‘LCA Tejas likely to be ready for operational service by 2015 | idrw.org
Air intake or some other issues ? I hope these will sorted out by enlarging the air intake.

 

[Defcon 1]

See the guy just sensationalizes news items, with no technical explanation of what is wrong with the RADOME.

He does not even specifies whether it is part of a private sector participation initiative taken on by ADA or whether it is for ASEA of MK-2 or MK-1?

and most of the posters are there are at the same level of anonymous excellence not knowing anything technical, and they just jump like frogs in a well for all the so called scoops he dumps.

sensational journalism should never be mistaken for genuine defense reporting.

He never ever goes to any technical people associated with the program or any other outside technical expert for any clarification on any item he posts that require deep technical explanation.

Even if you visit the blog for another thousand years you would be a technical illiterate not knowing even simple things that are explained in other debate based forums.


RADOMEs are produced in HAL for all kinds of fighters from SUKHOI to MIGs for ages , it is no rocket science.

He never writes any deep analysis or comparision of any thing.

product improvements are always an ongoing process, no fault of tejas program is a top secret. It has been torn apart in every media .

As tejas LSp-7 in operational configuration is already in IAf's hands , where is the need for this naval gazing.

Yeah, I did not understand why did you need to quote me, however he has clearly said he doesn't know what is wrong with radome, he is has also written something he thinks that could be the reason for ADA asking for a new one.

It is actually unreasonable of you to defend Tejas program in spite of everything. Most members on this forum are Indians and we all want Tejas program to succeed. But it won't succeed by we just highlighting its positives and trying to ignore the negatives. Anyways, don't quote me again without any reason. Thanks

 

[p2prada]

Radomes have very complex design specifications. It isn't just something you put on the nose like a joker's cap.

Contact Us

This link should provide all the useful details of the requirement. It is for LCA Mk1.


As for the trials at Leh, it would have something to do with the new fuel system in LCA. Fuel layout is the one that always causes problems because fuel tends to freeze at such temperatures and starve the engine.

LCA isn't the first aircraft to face this problem and certainly won't be the last.

 

[LTE-TDD]

Easy solution, put those people to jail! Some people have to take responsibilty.

 

[Bhadra]

Easy solution, put those people to jail! Some people have to take responsibilty.

India is not China...

Moreover, most of them are voters..... who vote for Mr Antony's party..

But Antony has also realised that those guys are actually a bird begining with the letter "D" and in fact Dredos - the dreadful.

 

[ersakthivel]

All those jokers cap with complex design specification for the migs and SUKHOIS have been done here from raw material stage is what I meant . I have no arguments with jokers or their caps.

And ADA continuously tries to involve private players to relieve the massive load on HAL, if anyone has doubt they can read the latest V.K.Saraswath interview.

The fuel lines were completely redone to fix the leakage issue found out. And it is natural it was evaluated in LEH to check it's performance,

 

[ersakthivel]

In spite of everything I don't know why this RHONA DHONA over a program,
that has already achieved a lot of it's design objectives in mk-1 ,
did 2000 emergency free trials and tested for 12 years without a crash,
and will exceed it's objectives in MK-II.

Just compare it with vibration prone EUROFIGHTER TYPHOONS in operation with british airforce with unresolvable vibration problems limiting their top speed to less than 80 percent of design speed, and the time line of RAFALE.

And the faulty OBORGS of F-22,

And the fly by wire bugs still residing in SUKHOI and engine shaft failures and all the junk unserviceable grounded MIG-27s,and pilot killing MIG-21s with no decent ejection system,

What do you expect ADA to produce on a modest ASR from IAf ,

with an existential budget and start from scratch stage,

amongst the massive brain drain caused by software sector(only two founding members remain in the entire fly by wire team now, which started with just 8 members in a snake infested building,it took an ABDUL KALAM visit to shift them to a safer building)

A F-22 RAPTOR in 20 years with unbeatable engine TWR?

Then what is wrong if I defend such a program?

All programs have their plus and minus, Effective PR from other plane makers high light the successes of the programs,

But in TEJAS all the motivated vested interest people keep digging it's grave portraying everything in the negative.

 

[Decklander]

Every engine has a limit of starting altitude and so does the presurisation system. In A-320 and B738s we faced similar problems in Leh. The engine starting was modified and the aircraft pressurisation system was used in manual mode to overcome these difficulties. These ac operated without any problems after that. LCA will also overcome these problems without any problems but shocking part is that our DRDO cud not think of these problems before hand.

 

[p2prada]

Every engine has a limit of starting altitude and so does the presurisation system. In A-320 and B738s we faced similar problems in Leh. The engine starting was modified and the aircraft pressurisation system was used in manual mode to overcome these difficulties. These ac operated without any problems after that. LCA will also overcome these problems without any problems but shocking part is that our DRDO cud not think of these problems before hand.

I am pretty sure it is merely a part of the program, perhaps even anticipated by ADA beforehand.

They may have needed actual test results before fixing the problem.

I suppose the radome issue seems to be bigger than the Leh trials.