ADA Tejas (LCA) News and Discussions

[Kunal Biswas]

Tejas Mk1 MRCA's Projected Operational Configurations

The slide below shows the various external add-on sensors, target acquisition/designation systems and dissimilar air combat training aids that will make the Tejas Mk1 a truly potent MRCA.

The slide below shows the lightweight precision-guided munitions available for the Tejas Mk1.

The slide below shows the PGMs and sensors/fire-control systems for the Tejas Mk1 in the defensive counter-air mission configuration.

The slide below shows the Tejas Mk1 in the tactical interdiction mission configuration.

Finally, the slide below shows the Tejas Mk1 in the battlefield interdiction (close air-support) mission configuration.

Multiple Ejector-Rack Options Available

Read More at source : TRISHUL

 

[Twinblade]

HAL to build 8, then 12, Tejas fighters each year
The ministry of defence has sanctioned Rs 1,556 cr (~ $300 Million) for HAL's high-tech production line that aims to build 12 Tejas fighters each year
Ajai Shukla | Bangalore December 30, 2013 Last Updated at 00:19 IST

http://www.business-standard.com/ar...-tejas-fighters-each-year-113123000010_1.html

Business Standard visited the new Tejas production line, an expansive 28,000-square metre facility in four massive hangars in HAL, Bangalore. Work is already underway on the first IAF order of 20 Tejas Mark I fighters, with an order for 20 more in the pipeline once the aircraft gets "final operational clearance" next year. The first two fighters being "series produced" - they are numbered SP-1 and SP-2 - are visibly taking shape.


"By end-March 2014, SP-1 will fly, and SP-2 will fly a few months later. By the end of next year four Tejas will be in production. In 2015-16, we will build six fighters, and in 2016-17, we will build nine. We are targeting an annual capacity of 12 Tejas fighters," says V Sridharan, the project manager hand-chosen to build the LCA. Earlier, he set up HAL's production line for the Hawk trainer.

From the above link

Financial Year (1st April to 31st March)	Tejas Production Rate	Remarks
Fy 2013-2014 (current)	1	SP-1 delivery by end March 2014
Fy 2014-2015	5	SP-2 in June, rest by Dec 2014 / Jan 2015
Fy 2015-2016	6
Fy 2016-2017	9	All aircraft in IOC 2 standard delivered, switch to FOC standard
Fy 2017-2018	12
Fy 2018-2019	8	Mk1 deliveries complete, switch to Mk2
Fy 2019-2020	Unknown	Mk2 deliveries at a high rate?

The most recent prototype has a pressure refuelling system that lets the Tejas be topped up Formula One style, in just 8 minutes and then flown back into combat.

Turn around time of 8 minutes, much like Gripen.

Now we will implement absolute standardisation, with identical components, assemblies and panels," explains Sridharan.


This is being done with laser scanners that ensure that a number of key points (called "locators") on each aircraft being built is exactly where it should be. By measuring with the laser, it is ensured that the locator is within 80 microns, i.e. about one-tenth of a millimetre, of where it should be. These are international standards, used by companies like Boeing.


It is evident from the focus of the laser trackers teams that it is painstaking work. This standardisation, and coordinating the flow of Tejas systems and sub-systems to the assembly line constitutes what Sridharan describes as the process of "stabilising" the Tejas line.


"Once the process is stabilised, we can transition to higher rates of production. My initial focus will be on production quality; then we will scale up production. HAL will meet the target of building 20 fighters by 2016-17," he says.

Also, this:

The ministry of defence (MoD) has sanctioned Rs 1,556 crore for HAL's high-tech production line that aims to build 12 Tejas fighters each year. The funds will come from the IAF (25 per cent); the navy (25 per cent), while HAL will put up half the money.

 

[p2prada]

From the above link

Financial Year (1st April to 31st March)	Tejas Production Rate	Remarks
Fy 2013-2014 (current)	1	SP-1 delivery by end March 2014
Fy 2014-2015	4	SP-2 in June, rest by Dec 2014 / Jan 2015
Fy 2015-2016	6
Fy 2016-2017	9	All aircraft in IOC 2 standard delivered, switch to FOC standard
Fy 2017-2018	12
Fy 2018-2019	8	Mk1 deliveries complete, switch to Mk2
Fy 2019-2020	Unknown	Mk2 deliveries at a high rate?

Not bad. They completely changed the sequence.

The numbers are coming up to 41 LCA Mk2s though. So a small correction above.

 

[Twinblade]

Not bad. They completely changed the sequence.

The numbers are coming up to 41 LCA Mk2s though. So a small correction above.

I think the change would be in the last year. For rest of the years it is clearly spelled out. It's a realistic production schedule, imho, given the unprecedented quality of the product.. Imagine explaining this to fanbois a few months back when they wanted IAF to order 120 Mk1 and would not believe that the production line will run into 2020s.

PS: I think you meant Mk1

 

[Twinblade]

Better caps of the HUD footage.

 

[sasi]

 

[p2prada]

I think the change would be in the last year. For rest of the years it is clearly spelled out. It's a realistic production schedule, imho, given the unprecedented quality of the product.. Imagine explaining this to fanbois a few months back when they wanted IAF to order 120 Mk1 and would not believe that the production line will run into 2020s.

120 Mk1s.

But, yeah. This is quite what I had known from before too. That 80 microns accuracy came as a surprise.

It looks like one production line will cater to 12 and perhaps will be expanded by 4 more eventually. Total 16.

PS: I think you meant Mk1

Whoops.

 

[Apollyon]

How many will be 2-seater trainer varient out of 40 Mk-1 ordered ?

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Twinblade]

It looks like one production line will cater to 12 and perhaps will be expanded by 4 more eventually. Total 16.

The colonel claims in the preceding article to this that there is spare production capacity to squeeze out a squadron or two more before mk2 arrives. 3 might have been possible, 4 would have required double the production rates.

If the IAF absorbs HAL's entire production capacity, it would have 3-4 squadrons of Mark I fighters

http://ajaishukla.blogspot.in/2013/12/the-tejas-fighters-role-in-war.html



Also, this:-

Said an NFTC test pilot during the IOC ceremony on December 20: "As a multi-role fighter, the Tejas is at least the equal of the IAF's upgraded Mirage-2000. It can more than hold its own in our operational scenario."

 

[p2prada]

The colonel claims in the preceding article to this that there is spare production capacity to squeeze out a squadron or two more before mk2 arrives. 3 might have been possible, 4 would have required double the production rates.

Mk2 deliveries from 2019 simply makes sense and this production schedule means the assembly line for Mk1 would be working at (assumed)max capacity anyway.

Also, this:-

ADA is lucky our operational scenario hasn't drastically changed over the last 10 years.

 

[ersakthivel]

For whatever operational scenario large number of tejas fighters is crucial for IAF to realize the potential of its full sanctioned squadron strength in a short timespan with tejas which has all the 4.5th gen tech, that too at an unbelievable low cost!!!

Expecting Indian govt (which is looted to the bone through scams and drained to the last few drops of blood with misgovernance in the past decade drowning the rupee to a record low of 66 per dollar) to fulfill IAf's fantasy of setting aside close to 60 billion dollars for the simultaneous purchase of RAFALE and FGFA in high numbers is getting remote everyday.

The runaway crude oil prices and falling export won't offer that much money to IAF that too most in forex reserves,because other services like navy and army too have heavy plans for the same period,

even now I can't understand the IAF magnanimity of setting aside just 225 cr, about half the the price of one Mirage-2000 upgrade for setting up new production facility for tejas mk-1!!!!!!!!!!

navy whose 50 tejas mk-2 will come only late in 2019 is also pitching in with the same 225 cr says something about the IAf's crocodiles tears for fast mig replacement!!!!!!!!

As usual after the tall talk of "no extensions for IOC-2 after december 2013" A.K. Antony has chickened out of forcing central govt to cough up some more money to set up a high volume production line,

because the rest 1000 cr is to be borne by HAL from it's internal accruals only, severely bleeding it's resources for other projects,

So I can understand the stinging comment made by C.N.R .Ro after receiving bharath rathna about indian politicians.


producing mk-1 faster will enable the much faster production and tesitng leading to speedier induction of mk-2 in large numbers quickly.

if the production line is set up at higher capacity HAL can even think about participating in overseas fighter tenders as mk-2 will be on par with most fighters of 4.5th gen where such longer range is not required in many third world or even in many european countries.

With american engines and israeli radar JV along with Astra, derby, and python tejas mk-2 will win many competitions for cost effective fighters to be operated besides other fighters in many air forces across europe and asia.

but it seems we are using our tunnel vision and repeatedly shooting ourself in the foot policy by not looking at these options and perennially naval gazing as usual. Even pakistanis or marketing their JF-17(whose AOA is still a top secret!!!) whose ejection seats are having problems in saving pilots in crunch situations.

This stingy allocation is going to delay the tejas mk-2 induction and nix any outside export potential for sure.we will be running the production line at the seventies era speed and producing the mk-2s till the fire freezes.


producing mk-1s in higher numbers is no substandard solution for IAF. we can simply cancel the Mirage-2000 costly upgrade order and add another 60 brand new mk-1s at less than a third of the price quoted for the deal!!!

The mk-1 itself will have ten percent more TWR than Mirage and will have more than 25 percent lower wing loading than Mirage. And the BVr range of mk-1 is actually better than the mirage even after the upgrade.

Why nobody thinks about such practical steps is a mystery to me.

because mk-1 has a lesser powered engine than the mk-2. SO it is quite possible for us to develop an engine that can adequately power the mk-1s making them hundred percent indian sealed off from sanction effects.

Also a mk-1 with no american or russian component with indian engines in MLU at a much lower cost than the mk-2 is a surefire export potential in many third world countries that are averse to american pressure.

Why IAF is not looking at the option of filling up its sanctioned squadron strength first with the tailored to it's needs tejas mk-1 and mk-2?

reason is the myopic RAFALE deal. After the kargil war IAf wanted to quickly buy 124 mirage-2000s that did precision ground bombing in kargil. Afraid of the kickback charges the deal was changed to multi vendor MMRCS circus with no rhyme or reason!!!!

So the tejas mk-1 itself more than fulfills the original need for the IAF's original intent behind MMRCA contract . Because if the then govt speedily sanctioned the deal by now Dassault would have delivered all the 124 fighters!!!

ANd during Kargil we did not have 270 Su-30 MKIs in our hand!!!!! Now we will have a total of 270 Su-30 MKis within a decades time. there is nothing that the 124 rafales can do that can not be done by the SU-30 MKis whish are going to be upgraded to super Sukhoi levels if developments are to be believed.


And 100 odd tejas mk-1 has the most promising prospect of getting a decent upgraded K-10 quickly with in a decade.And for the first time IAf will have a fleet of 100 fighters free from any outside influence.

SO it is not for nothing PLAF is steadily increasing the numbers of its J-10 eventhough they have many flankers and russians are willing to sell them even the Su-35

.why? because if the chinese perfect the engine tech the J-10 will be their only fighter that is free from outside interference and can be offered to export to geo strategic allies cementing it's place as a great power.

But no one inida even thinks about these prospects. All they sing in chorus is mk-1 is underpowered!!!!!!! . SO reduce its numbers. RAFALE is ovepowered so reduce mk-2 numbers song.

Pity most of the guys don't even know the so called under powered tejs mk-1 is considered superior to Mirage-2000 and can hold its own against PAf F-16 blk-50/62s when paired with adequate numbers of Su-30 MKIs as mini awacs!!!! What more is the 1000 crore per piece RAAFLE going to do than this?


But in a nation where our main national news channels are always willing to sit at the foot of some arvind kejriwals and narendra modis and rahul gandhis 24x7, reporting all their bluffs verbatim , these kind of things are not discussed even for ten minutes in any news hour program!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ersakthivel]

For whatever operational scenario large number of tejas fighters is crucial for IAF to realize the potential of its full sanctioned squadron strength in a short timespan with tejas which has all the 4.5th gen tech, that too at an unbelievable low cost!!!

Expecting Indian govt (which is looted to the bone through scams and drained to the last few drops of blood with misgovernance in the past decade drowning the rupee to a record low of 66 per dollar) to fulfill IAf's fantasy of setting aside close to 60 billion dollars for the simultaneous purchase of RAFALE and FGFA in high numbers is getting remote everyday.

The runaway crude oil prices and falling export won't offer that much money to IAF that too most in forex reserves,because other services like navy and army too have heavy plans for the same period,

even now I can't understand the IAF magnanimity of setting aside just 225 cr, about half the the price of one Mirage-2000 upgrade for setting up new production facility for tejas mk-1!!!!!!!!!!

navy whose 50 tejas mk-2 will come only late in 2019 is also pitching in with the same 225 cr says something about the IAf's crocodiles tears for fast mig replacement!!!!!!!!

As usual after the tall talk of "no extensions for IOC-2 after december 2013" A.K. Antony has chickened out of forcing central govt to cough up some more money to set up a high volume production line,

because the rest 1000 cr is to be borne by HAL from it's internal accruals only, severely bleeding it's resources for other projects,

So I can understand the stinging comment made by C.N.R .Ro after receiving bharath rathna about indian politicians.


producing mk-1 faster will enable the much faster production and tesitng leading to speedier induction of mk-2 in large numbers quickly.

if the production line is set up at higher capacity HAL can even think about participating in overseas fighter tenders as mk-2 will be on par with most fighters of 4.5th gen where such longer range is not required in many third world or even in many european countries.

With american engines and israeli radar JV along with Astra, derby, and python tejas mk-2 will win many competitions for cost effective fighters to be operated besides other fighters in many air forces across europe and asia.

but it seems we are using our tunnel vision and repeatedly shooting ourself in the foot policy by not looking at these options and perennially naval gazing as usual. Even pakistanis or marketing their JF-17(whose AOA is still a top secret!!!) whose ejection seats are having problems in saving pilots in crunch situations.

This stingy allocation is going to delay the tejas mk-2 induction and nix any outside export potential for sure.we will be running the production line at the seventies era speed and producing the mk-2s till the fire freezes.


producing mk-1s in higher numbers is no substandard solution for IAF. we can simply cancel the Mirage-2000 costly upgrade order and add another 60 brand new mk-1s at less than a third of the price quoted for the deal!!!

The mk-1 itself will have ten percent more TWR than Mirage and will have more than 25 percent lower wing loading than Mirage. And the BVr range of mk-1 is actually better than the mirage even after the upgrade.

Why nobody thinks about such practical steps is a mystery to me.

because mk-1 has a lesser powered engine than the mk-2. SO it is quite possible for us to develop an engine that can adequately power the mk-1s making them hundred percent indian sealed off from sanction effects.

Also a mk-1 with no american or russian component with indian engines in MLU at a much lower cost than the mk-2 is a surefire export potential in many third world countries that are averse to american pressure.

Why IAF is not looking at the option of filling up its sanctioned squadron strength first with the tailored to it's needs tejas mk-1 and mk-2?

reason is the myopic RAFALE deal. After the kargil war IAf wanted to quickly buy 124 mirage-2000s that did precision ground bombing in kargil. Afraid of the kickback charges the deal was changed to multi vendor MMRCS circus with no rhyme or reason!!!!

So the tejas mk-1 itself more than fulfills the original need for the IAF's original intent behind MMRCA contract . Because if the then govt speedily sanctioned the deal by now Dassault would have delivered all the 124 fighters!!!

ANd during Kargil we did not have 270 Su-30 MKIs in our hand!!!!! Now we will have a total of 270 Su-30 MKis within a decades time. there is nothing that the 124 rafales can do that can not be done by the SU-30 MKis whish are going to be upgraded to super Sukhoi levels if developments are to be believed.


And 100 odd tejas mk-1 has the most promising prospect of getting a decent upgraded K-10 quickly with in a decade.And for the first time IAf will have a fleet of 100 fighters free from any outside influence.

SO it is not for nothing PLAF is steadily increasing the numbers of its J-10 eventhough they have many flankers and russians are willing to sell them even the Su-35

.why? because if the chinese perfect the engine tech the J-10 will be their only fighter that is free from outside interference and can be offered to export to geo strategic allies cementing it's place as a great power.

But no one inida even thinks about these prospects. All they sing in chorus is mk-1 is underpowered!!!!!!! . SO reduce its numbers. RAFALE is ovepowered so reduce mk-2 numbers song.

Pity most of the guys don't even know the so called under powered tejs mk-1 is considered superior to Mirage-2000 and can hold its own against PAf F-16 blk-50/62s when paired with adequate numbers of Su-30 MKIs as mini awacs!!!! What more is the 1000 crore per piece RAAFLE going to do than this?


But in a nation where our main national news channels are always willing to sit at the foot of some arvind kejriwals and narendra modis and rahul gandhis 24x7, reporting all their bluffs verbatim , these kind of things are not discussed even for ten minutes in any news hour program!!!!!!!!!!!

The one article written by Ajai shukla for business standard is the first such factual report about tejas where test pilot is reported to have said that it equals Mirage-2000 even after upgrade is the first factual report on tejas in indian national media , I see in a long time

 

[Kyubi]

For whatever operational scenario large number of tejas fighters is crucial for IAF to realize the potential of its full sanctioned squadron strength in a short timespan with tejas which has all the 4.5th gen tech, that too at an unbelievable low cost!!!

Expecting Indian govt (which is looted to the bone through scams and drained to the last few drops of blood with misgovernance in the past decade drowning the rupee to a record low of 66 per dollar) to fulfill IAf's fantasy of setting aside close to 60 billion dollars for the simultaneous purchase of RAFALE and FGFA in high numbers is getting remote everyday.

The runaway crude oil prices and falling export won't offer that much money to IAF that too most in forex reserves,because other services like navy and army too have heavy plans for the same period,

even now I can't understand the IAF magnanimity of setting aside just 225 cr, about half the the price of one Mirage-2000 upgrade for setting up new production facility for tejas mk-1!!!!!!!!!!

navy whose 50 tejas mk-2 will come only late in 2019 is also pitching in with the same 225 cr says something about the IAf's crocodiles tears for fast mig replacement!!!!!!!!

As usual after the tall talk of "no extensions for IOC-2 after december 2013" A.K. Antony has chickened out of forcing central govt to cough up some more money to set up a high volume production line,

because the rest 1000 cr is to be borne by HAL from it's internal accruals only, severely bleeding it's resources for other projects,

So I can understand the stinging comment made by C.N.R .Ro after receiving bharath rathna about indian politicians.


producing mk-1 faster will enable the much faster production and tesitng leading to speedier induction of mk-2 in large numbers quickly.

if the production line is set up at higher capacity HAL can even think about participating in overseas fighter tenders as mk-2 will be on par with most fighters of 4.5th gen where such longer range is not required in many third world or even in many european countries.

With american engines and israeli radar JV along with Astra, derby, and python tejas mk-2 will win many competitions for cost effective fighters to be operated besides other fighters in many air forces across europe and asia.

but it seems we are using our tunnel vision and repeatedly shooting ourself in the foot policy by not looking at these options and perennially naval gazing as usual. Even pakistanis or marketing their JF-17(whose AOA is still a top secret!!!) whose ejection seats are having problems in saving pilots in crunch situations.

This stingy allocation is going to delay the tejas mk-2 induction and nix any outside export potential for sure.we will be running the production line at the seventies era speed and producing the mk-2s till the fire freezes.


producing mk-1s in higher numbers is no substandard solution for IAF. we can simply cancel the Mirage-2000 costly upgrade order and add another 60 brand new mk-1s at less than a third of the price quoted for the deal!!!

The mk-1 itself will have ten percent more TWR than Mirage and will have more than 25 percent lower wing loading than Mirage. And the BVr range of mk-1 is actually better than the mirage even after the upgrade.

Why nobody thinks about such practical steps is a mystery to me.

because mk-1 has a lesser powered engine than the mk-2. SO it is quite possible for us to develop an engine that can adequately power the mk-1s making them hundred percent indian sealed off from sanction effects.

Also a mk-1 with no american or russian component with indian engines in MLU at a much lower cost than the mk-2 is a surefire export potential in many third world countries that are averse to american pressure.

Why IAF is not looking at the option of filling up its sanctioned squadron strength first with the tailored to it's needs tejas mk-1 and mk-2?

reason is the myopic RAFALE deal. After the kargil war IAf wanted to quickly buy 124 mirage-2000s that did precision ground bombing in kargil. Afraid of the kickback charges the deal was changed to multi vendor MMRCS circus with no rhyme or reason!!!!

So the tejas mk-1 itself more than fulfills the original need for the IAF's original intent behind MMRCA contract . Because if the then govt speedily sanctioned the deal by now Dassault would have delivered all the 124 fighters!!!

ANd during Kargil we did not have 270 Su-30 MKIs in our hand!!!!! Now we will have a total of 270 Su-30 MKis within a decades time. there is nothing that the 124 rafales can do that can not be done by the SU-30 MKis whish are going to be upgraded to super Sukhoi levels if developments are to be believed.


And 100 odd tejas mk-1 has the most promising prospect of getting a decent upgraded K-10 quickly with in a decade.And for the first time IAf will have a fleet of 100 fighters free from any outside influence.

SO it is not for nothing PLAF is steadily increasing the numbers of its J-10 eventhough they have many flankers and russians are willing to sell them even the Su-35

.why? because if the chinese perfect the engine tech the J-10 will be their only fighter that is free from outside interference and can be offered to export to geo strategic allies cementing it's place as a great power.

But no one inida even thinks about these prospects. All they sing in chorus is mk-1 is underpowered!!!!!!! . SO reduce its numbers. RAFALE is ovepowered so reduce mk-2 numbers song.

Pity most of the guys don't even know the so called under powered tejs mk-1 is considered superior to Mirage-2000 and can hold its own against PAf F-16 blk-50/62s when paired with adequate numbers of Su-30 MKIs as mini awacs!!!! What more is the 1000 crore per piece RAAFLE going to do than this?


But in a nation where our main national news channels are always willing to sit at the foot of some arvind kejriwals and narendra modis and rahul gandhis 24x7, reporting all their bluffs verbatim , these kind of things are not discussed even for ten minutes in any news hour program!!!!!!!!!!!

Ersakthivel i would suggest you to write a detailed letter to the defence ministry, IAF chief and the HAL chairman describing the efficacy of Tejas fighter jet. I Think the people up in the echelons of power are under the impression that apart from them no one else is having a stake in these issues, that no one else is informed about the step motherly treatment towards indigenous tech. They tend to accept in public for the need of desi tech but their actions speaks differently . Every paisa of tax that we pay every month must have been in some way or other utilised in this fighter jet hence its but natural to say that we as concerned citizens have equal stake in it. I Would suggest you to open up a poll with a letter intended to MoD and others, by doing so many ppl would support the cause and who knows if luck is on our side those guys in power might just hear us....

 

[ersakthivel]

Ersakthivel i would suggest you to write a detailed letter to the defence ministry, IAF chief and the HAL chairman describing the efficacy of Tejas fighter jet. I Think the people up in the echelons of power are under the impression that apart from them no one else is having a stake in these issues, that no one else is informed about the step motherly treatment towards indigenous tech. They tend to accept in public for the need of desi tech but their actions speaks differently . Every paisa of tax that we pay every month must have been in some way or other utilised in this fighter jet hence its but natural to say that we as concerned citizens have equal stake in it. I Would suggest you to open up a poll with a letter intended to MoD and others, by doing so many ppl would support the cause and who knows if luck is on our side those guys in power might just hear us....

Every one in higher defence planing know this , hope they are not like our national noose media led by the likes of Rajat PanditThey are the guys who are beating it down for decades consistently propagating the view that it is just a mig-21 replacement..

Thats what A.K. Antony gave a hint of things to come by suggesting that Tejas mk-1+mk-2 numbers in IAF alone will cross 200.The initial numbers were just 80 mk2+40 mk-1s equaling 120 only.

But he should set aside some additional money for setting up another production line order extra engines from GE. That will really get things moving and give a clear signal to every one higher up to prepare for a higher numbers per year production.

 

[ersakthivel]

The following is the news about South korean light fighter FA-50's export potential. By restricting tejas mk-1s production to 8 an year we are missing out on competing in export deals like this, which will give valuable inputs for future fighter design.

The deployment of FA-50s will boost the country's arms export drive as the performance of the light combat jet are proven, according to officials of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), which built the T-50 in partnership with Lockheed Martin.

"Many countries in Southeast Asia and South America show keen interest in light combat aircraft rather than heavy warplanes because of their strategic needs and cost matters," said Cha Jae-byung, manager of KAI's T-50 development team. "FA-50 could be the right answer to those needs and some of the nations in the regions are finding the FA-50 enormously attractive."

Negotiations are underway with the Philippines for 12 FA-50s. The value of is estimated at $460 million, according to KAI officials.

Iraq and Peru are also believed to be among the potential customers for the new jet.

KAI officials said they aim to sell about 1,000 FA-50s and T-50s over the next three decades, with KAI and Lockheed Martin planning to compete for the US Air Force T-X program for at least 300 aircraft.

Indonesia was the first T-50 customer, with a 2011 order for 12 T-50i jets, an FA-50 version for the Indonesian Air Force.

 

[ersakthivel]

This looks like an university project for grippen's stealth version development,

but whenever the former DRDO chief talked about such tejas mk-3 stealth program, it was met with stony silence by IAF and MOD,

Are people afraid that such a development will expose the rip off that is being planned with RAFALE deal?

Surely such a development can easily be carried out in Tejas platform after the design freeze for tejas mk-2 gets completed by march 2014.

But so far no one has shown any interest in Tejas mk-3 stealth version, either with one GE-414 IN S 6 engine or two K-9 flight certified engines.

Why?

The IAF is dragging its feet over the specs of AMCA for over a decade.

SO it is imperative that stealth mk-3 should be taken up as a priority now as it tejas in mk-1 and mk-2 versions has demonstrated the aerodynamic paramaeters of the platform.

And also may people here were lying that tejas is a small platform with no place for weapon bays,

How could guys make a prelim design which has three weapon bays on a small single engine grippen platform, while the same can not be done by ADA on tejas?

 

[mahesh]

Tejas has only 1 engine, and can perform almost 80% of the tasks which can be carried out by Rafale, well, Rafale has 2 engines, Snecma M88 engine, capable of providing up to 50 kN (11,250 lbf) of dry thrust and 75 kN (16,900 lbf) with afterburners. so i was thinking, can't we use 2 kaveri engines by modifying lca Tejas ?

 

[Twinblade]

Tejas has only 1 engine, and can perform almost 80% of the tasks which can be carried out by Rafale, well, Rafale has 2 engines, Snecma M88 engine, capable of providing up to 50 kN (11,250 lbf) of dry thrust and 75 kN (16,900 lbf) with afterburners. so i was thinking, can't we use 2 kaveri engines by modifying lca Tejas ?

In short: New design->design verification->design approval->project sanction->full scale engineering design->prototyping->mission creep->re designing components to keep them future ready->LSP->exploration of flight envelope->redesigning components to optimise design->IOC->New production line with new jigs->FOC. Total time 10-12 years.

 

[Yusuf]

The more the delay in singing Rafale, the more the chance that Tejas will end up being the MRCA as it initially set out to and Rafale deal will fall through.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Tejas have nothing to do with Rafale, Rafale are consider a diffrent class ..

Though if the deal falls, There will be more Tejas MK2 & If stays it will not effect current situation of Tejas progress ..