ADA Tejas (LCA) News and Discussions

[ersakthivel]

the so called soft limit of around 26 deg is the real usable combat alpha.

Anything beyond that the fighter behaves with as much aerodynamic efficiency as a kite and by the time it regains it's aerodynamic efficiency for its wings and regains its speeds it may be too late to survive in the merge.

Thats why American aviation experts always don't take Thrust vector enabled eye catching air show maneuvers as not of great combat significance.

the CEILMAC report talks about reduction of "SUPERSONIC WAVE DRAG" by going in for a fuselage plug.

This wave drags comes in only when Tejas cross the sound barrier not at other times.

Also it migt be entirely possible that the cross section between 4 and 5 meter length of fuselage may have been smoothened by other means in LSP-7 and 8 with out fuselage plug. But we don't have any details for it.

But simpletons take it as a subsonic ever present drag that stalls tejas. It is simply a wrong diagnosis.

people even forget that the under wing air intake of tejas always gets more air due to the huge wing area above it which chanels the air around into intake.The wing and air intake was specifically designed for that.

It is the upper wing which needs vortex based lift in high alpha for which cranked delta design is chosen. the lower wing and air intake will have no problem in any alpha.

 

[ersakthivel]

The design stall alpha for Mk1 is still above 30 deg. That's not changed. Whether it will reach it, LSP-6 will demonstrate it eventually.

If possible can you please explain how Gripen achieves it's AoA of 50 deg FCS limit. And why are Rafale and EF restricted at ~ 25 degs in comparison?

WRONG

Tejas can retain rudder control even after 35 degrees is the statement from it's designers.

Where is the source for your claim design stall alpha is 30 deg?

X posting from Mk2 thread.

The plan was always to deliver 2 after 6 months of IOC and 2 more after 12 months. Followed by 4 next year, followed by 8 the third year.

So, total of 16 in three years and then 8+8+8 = 40 aircraft in 6 years. This is for LCA Mk1.

These projections were done when the production capacity of tejas line was supposed to be 8 an year only.

But now with HAL officially saying it can produce 16 a year if needed these projection of numbers and time limits don't matter any more.

It is the same as before. 22 deg for IOC (relaxed to 20) and 24 deg for FOC as of 2011.


2013 news
The Light Combat Aircraft will attain IOC this year and FOC by 2015


Livefist: Another Milestone Missed, Panic Button Pushed On Tejas


2011 news
Livefist: IAF Grudgingly Accepts Tejas IOC, Wants 83 Mk-IIs


So, IOC figures have always been 22 deg and FOC figures 24. It's not changed even today.

It is possible requirements for Mk2 are the ones that are being quoted all over the place now.

If ADA has managed to achieve 22 deg for IOC-2, then that's great. It only means it surpassed IAF's IOC-2 parameter that was originally relaxed.

Live fist guy is a big zero in aerodynamics.

I haven't come across a single ASR figure from Livefist for ASR of tejas.

Read Captain Mao's statement on alpha posted by Karthick in BR.

IAF culled out the best specs of both Mig-29 and Mirage-2000 for tejas without even knowing it is impossible to achieve them in a single fighter platform of Mig-21 size with 80 Kn engine with a decent range.

So what is being done on Tejas is the best available air frame to get the most optimum specs in indian condition taking into account high altitude Himalayan landing and take off condition was chosen and the best available engine was chosen keeping in mind the competing fighter platform's specs.

With the high percentage of composites and modern cranked delta low wing loading RSS fully digital fly by wire air frame it is imperative that the end product will compare with the it's contemporaries world wide in indian hot climatic conditions.

That's why it is having a radome dia almost equivalent to RAFALE , internal EW suits 120 Km tracking range for 2 sq meter target radar and is supposed to carry both the Astra mk-1 and mk-2 taking it's higher BVR range to 120 Km fully exploiting it's radar capability.

Leaving all this aside repeatedly dumping on the plane with IAF cleared it with lower alpha because it did not meet expectations is simply ignorant.




SO 20 deg for IOC relaxed from 22 deg original IAF demand is just figment of people's imagination .

IOC is simply a release to service certificate stating that the fighter is safe to operate in certain limited flight envelope before FOC clears the entire flight envelope and a signal to production agencies all the design changes that were mandated after 2000 flight tests are done and evaluated .

SO it can begin series production with the confidence that there will be no more major design changes in parts which is a pre requisite for starting serial production with giving parts orders to other sub system makers.

There is no such IOC alpha document from IAF.


From 1 to 21 seconds a vertical loop in 20 seconds gives it a STR of 18 deg(360 degree /20 seconds).

It is the same STR as that of F-16's whose flight envelope is opened till 9Gs and to it's full AOA spec.

tejas did pull this 20 seconds vertical loop with 6G and 20 deg AOA flight envelope restriction in 2013 aeroindia flight display.

if it is going to be cleared for 8Gs as explained in post 1803 along with a much higher AOA of 24-26 deg in FOC it sure is going to better this STR of around 18 deg displayed in aeroindia 2013.

this video was originally posted by @rahulrds1 in

http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/indian-air-force/38586-aero-india-2013-a-17.html

Instead of trying to scourge Livefist for non existent aerodynamic wisdom, please look at the video above and tell me whether tejas has reached the 18 Deg STR which was the original spec for the world's most successful F_16?

No beating around the bush any more.

Answer this.

If you don't know forward this to your live fist guy and your more geometrically informed friends and try to get some gyan from them.

The original ASR for tejas posted by Retired Airmarshal MS WOOLEN called fro a top speed of mach 1.5 and 17 deg STR.

now with 6G limit and 20 DEG aoa limit Tejas has pulled 18 deg STR , SO where is the shortfall and relaxation?

 

[ersakthivel]

Approach to High Angle of Attack Testing of Light Combat Aircraft [LCA] Tejas
As shown at Fig-1, the Tejas flyingconfiguration was selected for good balance between supersonic and subsonicperformance and good handling characteristics throughout.

It consists of a pure double delta configuration with leading edge angles of 50 deg and 62.5 deg and a trailing edge forward sweep angle of 4deg. The CG lies about 33.5% of MACand the wing area is 38.5 sq meter.

. The only augmentation devices are three-piece leading

However, directional characteristics indicated the proverbial 'cliff' with a sudden drop inCn, CRM (Coefficient of Rolling Moment) and CYM (Coefficient of Yawing Moment) atapprox 25 deg AoA as shown at fig-4 and 5. These phenomena require the High AoA trialsto be limited to 24 deg (as shown in dotted line) until directional stability is bolstered andaugmented by rudder control up to an expected 26 deg . Currently the Tejas is flying to AOAlimits of 20 deg and 22 deg never exceed. Fortunately as shown in fig-6, the LCA hassignificant rudder authority (CYM-Del R) even up to 30

AoA that will allow artificialstabilization in yaw at high AOA
Wind tunnel experiments haveindicated that CL max continues to improve till approx 35 deg AoA as shown at fig-3 below,

Rudder authority Vis a Vis AOA

 

[ersakthivel]

Approach to High Angle of Attack Testing of Light Combat Aircraft [LCA] Tejas
Going to the link above and seeing the experimental graph will give a lot of info about lift at high AOA.

So with full slats CL max continues to improve till 35 degree

It also states this about the airframe in the wind tunnel experiments------Tejas retains significant rudder authority even at 30 Deg if directional stability is bolstered and augmented by rudder controls .

 

[p2prada]

Gripen achieved it's critical alpha in excess of 100 degrees, but for the sake of preservation of energy, the 'hard' limit has been put in the range of 50-55 degrees and the 'soft' limit around 26 degrees. The FCS of gripen momentarily allows for the alpha to overshoot the soft limit but then the negative feedback kicks in and it is brought back within the limits.

Thanks Twin, I didn't know this part. So, all three Euro-jets are limited to within 25 and 26 deg.

 

[Decklander]

The design stall alpha for Mk1 is still above 30 deg. That's not changed. Whether it will reach it, LSP-6 will demonstrate it eventually.

If possible can you please explain how Gripen achieves it's AoA of 50 deg FCS limit. And why are Rafale and EF restricted at ~ 25 degs in comparison?

Stalling alpha and alpha upto which you can retain control of the ac are two different things. An ac can remain stalled and yet be flyable and controllable that is what we call post stall controlability. Rafale, Gripen, EFT, F-25 etc have that as 50* & above. Now you may not stall and yet have an alpha of nearly 70* while maintaining flat attitude and descending. The final stall alpha will depend on use of flaps and slats.
Manytimes the ac is limited by FCS to a lower alpha than the stall alpha to preserve best energy with an override being provided for emergency situations. This acts as a way of preventing extremely high pitchup rate which can overstrain the airframe by exceeding G-limits and destroying the energy of the ac.

 

[makmohan]

LCA Tejas completes 2,400 sorties | idrw.org

The indigenously-developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas has undertaken 2,400 sorties to accommodate a mandate of a IAF, that is set to install a aircraft on Dec 20.

"The LCA has clocked over 2400 flights compartment now with top ever series of sorties achieved in a stream year. The programme has achieved top ever normal series of flights per aircraft per month during this year," HAL officials pronounced here.

The aircraft is set to be inducted into a IAF subsequent week 3 decades after a programme was authorised by a afterwards Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The aircraft had recently met a final parameter by displaying a barb banishment capabilities with a rising of an infrared seeking air-to-air barb that strike a aim with pointing and broken it.

The Initial Operational Clearance-II of a aircraft will be finished during a home-base in Bangalore after that it will be inducted into a IAF by Defence Minister A K Antony.

The aircraft will be a LCA Mark 1 and 40 of them will be inducted by a IAF and a DRDO and HAL will continue to make improvements in it, they said, adding some-more absolute and able chronicle would be inducted after in a force.

The IAF, if all moves forward as per a benefaction plans, will have a sum of 7 squadrons of such aircraft that comes to about 140 aircraft.

The aircraft plan was authorised in 1983 during a cost of Rs 560 crore during an estimate altogether cost of reduction than Rs 8,000 crore. The altogether programme is approaching to cost over Rs 25,000 crore.

 

[Defcon 1]

Does anyone know if IAF has plans to induct LCA in the LIFT role? Thanks

 

[ersakthivel]

Promising lightweight fighter would soon establish in Russia, said on Wednesday Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, at the plenary session in the State Duma.

"There is already a task to create a weapons program promising lightweight fighter - it will be created," - said Rogozin, responding to a question from one of the deputies.

Deputy Prime Minister noted that the lightweight fighters are most in demand, it is better to buy abroad.

"Light Fighter always most in demand in terms of export potential - its more likely to buy, that's MiG-29, for example, it is certainly superior to the heavy fighters, but today we have already completely untwisted production enterprise" Irkut "- a Su-30cm we produce Su-35s in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, PAK FA - we have 5 samples "- said Rogozin, noting that Russia has always tried to combine the production of light and heavy fighters.

SO at least russian deputy PM thinks that light fighters are vital for air defence.

I remember one particular technocrat(?!?!?)

crying hoarse all the time ,through out this thread

that light fighters are history, and tejas is obsolete

And it is stupid to produce light fighters,

as all light fighters will be whoop whooped by HEAVY CLASS fighters in all future conflicts.

But at least the Russian deputy PM does not think so,

 

[Defcon 1]

Deleted since the post was edited by staff without assigning reason

 

[ice berg]

But at least the Russian deputy PM does not think so,

Promising lightweight fighter would soon establish in Russia, said on Wednesday Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, at the plenary session in the State Duma.

"There is already a task to create a weapons program promising lightweight fighter - it will be created," - said Rogozin, responding to a question from one of the deputies.

Deputy Prime Minister noted that the lightweight fighters are most in demand, it is better to buy abroad.

"Light Fighter always most in demand in terms of export potential - its more likely to buy, that's MiG-29, for example, it is certainly superior to the heavy fighters, but today we have already completely untwisted production enterprise" Irkut "- a Su-30cm we produce Su-35s in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, PAK FA - we have 5 samples "- said Rogozin, noting that Russia has always tried to combine the production of light and heavy fighters.

Watch what they do, not what they say.

In 2013, the Russian Air Force (and Navy) will receive 67 new and 18 refurbished aircraft, and more than 100 helicopters. The aircraft include:

14 SU-34 (the last 2 of 2008 contract for 32 and 12 of 2012 contract for 92)
12 SU-35S (2009 contract)
14 SU-30SM (2012 contracts for 60)
4 SU-30M2 (previously unknown 2012 contract – earlier 4 delivered in 2010)
4 MIG-29K/KUB (2012 contract for 24)
18 YAK-130 (2011 contract for 55)
1 AN-148
Refurbished
10 MIG-31BM
4 SU-33
2 TU-95MS
2 SU-27SM3 (from SU-27)

In 2014 the forces will receive 120 aircraft and 90 helicopters, and up to 2020 a total of 1,591 aircraft and helicopters.
Source: CDF

 

[wild goose]

LCA set to join IAF


The tail-less little wonder is set to earn its initial operational clearance

Even as the workhorse of the Indian Air Force, MiG-21, bowed out on Wednesday, indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas, is just a formality away from passing into the hands of the force.

Dubbed the world's lightest fighter, the tail-less little wonder is due to ceremonially earn its initial operational clearance (IOC) and move closer to joining the IAF at its birthplace, Bangalore, on December 20.

The event will see its creator and developer, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the DRDO, hand over an aircraft, along with the user manuals, in as good as battle-ready state to the IAF.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne, and DRDO Director-General Avinash Chander are slated to be present at the ceremony along with the "who's who" of the military set-up.

After obtaining the IOC, the ADA's production partner, state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., will start producing 20 of them in the IOC version, said an official involved in the 25-year-old LCA programme.

Yet, the LCA will be considered fully battle-ready only around end-2014, after it clears firing more lethal armaments and missiles.

HAL says it plans to initially produce eight LCA for the IAF a year from 2014-15, and raise the delivery rate to 12-16 a year subsequently. Its production centre in Bangalore has built up nearly 28,000 sq m of space to house the LCA's hangar and engineering sections. A repair and overhaul unit is to follow later.

Two squadrons (each having 18-20 aircraft) are expected to be delivered in five years, that is, around 2019. The IAF is expected to eventually station the LCA fleet at the Sulur Air Force Station near Coimbatore.

In the next decade, the IAF is estimated to need 200-220 LCAs as per past statements. HAL has supplied a limited series of eight aircraft leading to the IOC and has orders for 40 LCA from the IAF: of them, 20 are to be in the IOC mode for an order worth Rs. 4,000 crore and another 20 in the FOC mode. The Navy, too, it is said, needs 40 of them to replace the Sea Harriers.On December 7, the LCA made another mark after it released an air-to-air missile that also 'killed' a moving practice target.

Tejas is a fourth-generation fighter with contemporary technologies.


LCA set to join IAF - The Hindu

 

[Vishwarupa]

LCA set to join IAF

Even as the workhorse of the Indian Air Force, MiG-21, bowed out on Wednesday, indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas, is just a formality away from passing into the hands of the force.

Dubbed the world's lightest fighter, the tail-less little wonder is due to ceremonially earn its initial operational clearance (IOC) and move closer to joining the IAF at its birthplace, Bangalore, on December 20.

The event will see its creator and developer, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the DRDO, hand over an aircraft, along with the user manuals, in as good as battle-ready state to the IAF.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne, and DRDO Director-General Avinash Chander are slated to be present at the ceremony along with the "who's who" of the military set-up.

After obtaining the IOC, the ADA's production partner, state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., will start producing 20 of them in the IOC version, said an official involved in the 25-year-old LCA programme.

Yet, the LCA will be considered fully battle-ready only around end-2014, after it clears firing more lethal armaments and missiles.

HAL says it plans to initially produce eight LCA for the IAF a year from 2014-15, and raise the delivery rate to 12-16 a year subsequently. Its production centre in Bangalore has built up nearly 28,000 sq m of space to house the LCA's hangar and engineering sections. A repair and overhaul unit is to follow later.

Two squadrons (each having 18-20 aircraft) are expected to be delivered in five years, that is, around 2019. The IAF is expected to eventually station the LCA fleet at the Sulur Air Force Station near Coimbatore.

In the next decade, the IAF is estimated to need 200-220 LCAs as per past statements. HAL has supplied a limited series of eight aircraft leading to the IOC and has orders for 40 LCA from the IAF: of them, 20 are to be in the IOC mode for an order worth Rs. 4,000 crore and another 20 in the FOC mode. The Navy, too, it is said, needs 40 of them to replace the Sea Harriers. On December 7, the LCA made another mark after it released an air-to-air missile that also 'killed' a moving practice target.

Tejas is a fourth-generation fighter with contemporary technologies.

LCA set to join IAF - The Hindu

 

[Neeraj Mathur]

Re: LCA set to join IAF

good news.now that migs 21 are going out tejas should fill the empty space.

 

[JBH22]

Re: LCA set to join IAF

Two squadrons (each having 18-20 aircraft) are expected to be delivered in five years, that is, around 2019. The IAF is expected to eventually station the LCA fleet at the Sulur Air Force Station near Coimbatore.

Will this plane be still relevant by that time?

 

[A chauhan]

Re: LCA set to join IAF

Do that asap! Please.

 

[ersakthivel]

Promising lightweight fighter would soon establish in Russia, said on Wednesday Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, at the plenary session in the State Duma.

"There is already a task to create a weapons program promising lightweight fighter - it will be created," - said Rogozin, responding to a question from one of the deputies.

Deputy Prime Minister noted that the lightweight fighters are most in demand, it is better to buy abroad.

"Light Fighter always most in demand in terms of export potential - its more likely to buy, that's MiG-29, for example, it is certainly superior to the heavy fighters, but today we have already completely untwisted production enterprise" Irkut "- a Su-30cm we produce Su-35s in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, PAK FA - we have 5 samples "- said Rogozin, noting that Russia has always tried to combine the production of light and heavy fighters.

Watch what they do, not what they say.

In 2013, the Russian Air Force (and Navy) will receive 67 new and 18 refurbished aircraft, and more than 100 helicopters. The aircraft include:

14 SU-34 (the last 2 of 2008 contract for 32 and 12 of 2012 contract for 92)
12 SU-35S (2009 contract)
14 SU-30SM (2012 contracts for 60)
4 SU-30M2 (previously unknown 2012 contract – earlier 4 delivered in 2010)
4 MIG-29K/KUB (2012 contract for 24)
18 YAK-130 (2011 contract for 55)
1 AN-148
Refurbished
10 MIG-31BM
4 SU-33
2 TU-95MS
2 SU-27SM3 (from SU-27)

In 2014 the forces will receive 120 aircraft and 90 helicopters, and up to 2020 a total of 1,591 aircraft and helicopters.
Source: CDF

Promising lightweight fighter will be created in Russia, told Rogozin
Перспективный легкий истребитель будет создан в РФ, сообщил Рогозин | РИА Новости

The russian PM himself has admitted in the same statement that they have priorities twisted in favor of heavy fighter and it needs to be corrected by developing and introducing light fighters.

Go to the above link which features the interview and lead the text in full.

that's MiG-29, for example, it is certainly superior to the heavy fighters, at least in air to air roles Thrust vectoring or not.



In the same way If tejas mk-2 comes with equivalent TWR of Mig-29 it will also be superior heavy fighters having less TWR in close air to air combat.

Tejas mk-2 will also have a better fuel fraction than Mig-29 thanks to higher use of composites. And has less than a fourth of the frontal RCS of Mig-29 along with retractable refueling probe and ASEA radar of almost equivalent size and 100 plus Km range BVRs.

It is a simple physical fact you can not change as long as there is air in the atmosphere.

Whatever they say or do the above set of statements are undeniable fact.


In close air combat a nimble higher TWR lower RCS hard to spot visually higher in number(due to lower cost) light or medium fighters will finish off lumbering low TWR fourth gen low in number(due to higher cost) heavy fighters in a short span of time.

Since all fleets will have dedicated EW and Awacs support in future light and medium fighters suffer no penalty for being so,

Tejas mk-2 has a far bigger 650 MM antenna dia radar with (10 Kw max power out put in ten percent cycle ) capable of detecting 2 sq meter targets from 120 Km even in mk-1

Thats why I took a dig at technocrat(?!?!?) who is sprouting gibberish through out this thread and ADA tejas -III closed thread that light fighters are history and heavy fighters are geography.

 

[Defcon 1]

LCA set to join IAF


The tail-less little wonder is set to earn its initial operational clearance

Even as the workhorse of the Indian Air Force, MiG-21, bowed out on Wednesday, indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas, is just a formality away from passing into the hands of the force.

Dubbed the world's lightest fighter, the tail-less little wonder is due to ceremonially earn its initial operational clearance (IOC) and move closer to joining the IAF at its birthplace, Bangalore, on December 20.

The event will see its creator and developer, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the DRDO, hand over an aircraft, along with the user manuals, in as good as battle-ready state to the IAF.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne, and DRDO Director-General Avinash Chander are slated to be present at the ceremony along with the "who's who" of the military set-up.

After obtaining the IOC, the ADA's production partner, state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., will start producing 20 of them in the IOC version, said an official involved in the 25-year-old LCA programme.

Yet, the LCA will be considered fully battle-ready only around end-2014, after it clears firing more lethal armaments and missiles.

HAL says it plans to initially produce eight LCA for the IAF a year from 2014-15, and raise the delivery rate to 12-16 a year subsequently. Its production centre in Bangalore has built up nearly 28,000 sq m of space to house the LCA's hangar and engineering sections. A repair and overhaul unit is to follow later.

Two squadrons (each having 18-20 aircraft) are expected to be delivered in five years, that is, around 2019. The IAF is expected to eventually station the LCA fleet at the Sulur Air Force Station near Coimbatore.

In the next decade, the IAF is estimated to need 200-220 LCAs as per past statements. HAL has supplied a limited series of eight aircraft leading to the IOC and has orders for 40 LCA from the IAF: of them, 20 are to be in the IOC mode for an order worth Rs. 4,000 crore and another 20 in the FOC mode. The Navy, too, it is said, needs 40 of them to replace the Sea Harriers.On December 7, the LCA made another mark after it released an air-to-air missile that also 'killed' a moving practice target.

Tejas is a fourth-generation fighter with contemporary technologies.


LCA set to join IAF - The Hindu

Two squadrons in five years seems about right. For all the hoopla going around about 16 fighters a year, the fact is there is no official source for this. There is only a interview of DRDO chief in september in which he said something like this.

The production rate, I believe, is around 16-20 per year and huge orders would assist in good production rates," he said.

If that can be taken as official source then ok.

Logically as well, increase in production capacity from 8 to 16 per year would have required allotment of additional funds to HAL since they have no money of their own. However, we haven't heard anything about the same as well.

 

[ersakthivel]

Two squadrons in five years seems about right. For all the hoopla going around about 16 fighters a year, the fact is there is no official source for this. There is only a interview of DRDO chief in september in which he said something like this.



If that can be taken as official source then ok.

Logically as well, increase in production capacity from 8 to 16 per year would have required allotment of additional funds to HAL since they have no money of their own. However, we haven't heard anything about the same as well.

No hoopla,

It has been mentioned in several press releases that HAL can ramp up production capacity to 12-16 a year if needed.

Even in this press release it is the HAL source which says 12-16 a year , not DRDO chief.

It all depends upon how orders for it come after FOC.

Most of the LCA's components anr comming from private sector cos . SO it may not be impossible to ramp up production if the need arises.

Since Tejas mk-2 is also going to enter into production shortly after mk-1 production stops private sector players will be only too eager to set up production facilities.

However engines are coming from US, So it should be ordered with certain lead time from GE.

 

[arnabmit]

Tejas LCA will be battle-ready by 2014: Browne | Business Standard

Tejas, India's first indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), would be fully battle-ready by 2014, Indian Air Force chief N.A.K. Browne said in the Meghalaya capital Thursday.

"Tejas, a fourth-generation fighter aircraft, will replace MIG 21 ... and the aircraft will be the LCA Mark I Type. Forty of them will be inducted by the IAF by end-2014," Air Chief Marshal Browne told journalists at the Advance Landing Ground in Upper Shillong.

"Eight days from now, I will head to Bangalore, where we are doing the acceptance of the initial operation clearance, the second operation clearance, for the Tejas LCA so Defence Minister A.K. Antony will also be there."

The air chief, who retires Dec 31, was here on a farewell visit to the Eastern Air Command headquarters.

"We have already begun work to develop Tejas Mark Two aircraft which will be fitted with GE engines. The Mark II Type aircraft will be developed from the basic Mark I and it will have far better improvement in radar systems, powerful engines and even other features," Browne said.

"It (Tejas Mark II) will also have more fuel, more powerful engine and that will actually be the future for the air force in terms of replacement for MIG 21," he said.

Apart from the Tejas aircraft, the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) Rafale fighter aircraft would also be inducted to further strengthen the assets of the Indian Air Force, the outgoing air chief said.

"Negotiations are going on with regard to the Rafale fighter aircraft. We have a little bit of a set back, as you know, the JSO (joint secretary-operation) who was handling the case passed away two months back. However, a new joint secretary has been appointed last week to take charge of the negotiations. They are having meeting this time. I am hopeful that by next year we are able to wrap up this case," Browne said.

He said delivery of the French MMRCA Rafale fighter aircraft was expected to take place by 2017.

On the phasing out of MIG-21 aircraft, Browne said: "It was a watershed moment for the Indian Air Force because this was the (MIG 21) aircraft which all our fighter pilots, including me and a generation of pilots, had been trained on. It has done its job well."

"So one major phase has passed, and now we look forward to the induction of the Tejas in the Indian Air Force," he said.