ADA Tejas (LCA) News and Discussions

[bose]

@pmaitra @Sakal Gharelu Ustad please clean the thread...

 

[Gessler]

Is it some sort of WSO on the tail like Rafale??

No it's not an IRST/TV sensor like WSO. It's a part of the EW suite called Mayawi. Radar-warning receivers (RWR), laser-warning system (LWS), and the like.

 

[Abhi9]

Tejas at bahrain air base.

 

[guru-dutt]

Not paint job, Air data sensors pasted on to record pressures and other parameters all over its body during test flight

now that is interesting point you have sir .

 

[Abhishek Shrivastava]

Abhishek Shrivastava One small question, Why we reached one week before show, Are we going to fly beforehead.


Tejas - LCA Practice. We, at bangalore at height which is not same as bahrain. The diff in altitudes do impact the low level flyings. Makes lots of sense to practice to the inch perfect before the real show begins.

 

[Ved]

PAF pilots will be having a hard look at Tejas when they get the chance. Maybe they will request for a selfie.

 

[Pandora]

Some interesting snippets from Tejas FB page all in Jan 2016.. They do answer questions !!!
Address: Tejas - LCA

Q: Whats MK1A
A: Tejas - LCA MK1A will primarily address the maintenance issues plus the gun integration, AESA radar integration, BVR integration (whenever IAF gives a clear indication on the kind of BVR) etc..

Q: what are the potential BVR missiles under consideration? Derby + Astra?
A: Tejas - LCA ASTRA for sure. LCA Derby will be for the naval version.

Q: how the new quartz radome frm cobham test is going on. Any timeline for SP-2 in coming days.
A: Tejas - LCA SP 2 will come up soon. Cobham radome ground integration checks are over. The actual flight testing will commence soon.

Q: question related to CG. Is Mk1 still flying around with a 300kg ballast. Or is this a modern myth.
A: Tejas - LCA Flies with ballast but the no is not this big in number.

Q: And this is expected to come down after the IFR probe is bolted on? Is it likely that this ballast is completely done away with restructuring and reorganizing the LRUs/MLG on the Mk1A. Reports claim so. I have learnt not to believe reports. Of course. I just meant ballast commiserate to the weight of just the probe to be added will come off
A: Tejas - LCA You are absolutely right, Sir. The IFR probe will reduce the ballast weight. As currently, only the prototypes are flying, the ballast is a variable. Once, the final version, rather the frozen SOP starts flying, things will streamline. Sir, the last of the LSPs are getting modified for the IFR probe.

Q: Your gun integration on Mk1A has fluttered some feathers. Won't Mk1 have a gun?
A: Tejas - LCA The gun integration was initially part of mark1. However, will be done post FOC thereby appropriately for mark 1A.
All other programs, gun is the first store to be integrated onto a fighter simply because the uncertain modifications it demands post testing. The other program houses will never reveal the experiences which they have earned in a harder way. Same is applied to us too.
However, the initial integration activity shows promise. It is only a matter of when will the prototype be offered to carry out the modifications.

Q: what is the reason for the slow integration of the sp series aircraft been waiting for the sp 2 and 3...also are we moving closer wrt to naval lca LG weight issue
A:Tejas - LCA You are right. The undercarriage issue has been creating sort of delay in everything. The sp1 not flying is one of them. However, the issue has been left behind and things will be better in the days to come.

Q: Is it true that there are issues with the landing gear..there were some news reports about this..(dint believe the reports..)
A :Tejas - LCA Please understand that any design bound to have problems and remains to be seen how do we solve it. All the aircraft programs all over the world have undergone this process. Yes, there were problems and got sorted out too. Please be assured that the correct picture can be seen only when it is seen and understood from close quartet. Reports are always exaggerated or according to the convince to the reporting agency.

Q: There are press reports that LSP-4/7 that're off to Bahrain Air show, would perform the BVR firing (Derby) tests for FOC after they have returned from it (i.e. post 23-Jan). Question is, does this mean that LSP-4/7 are already retrofitted with Cobham built quartz radomes - or are they going to go ahead with BVR testing with the old ASLs Kevlar based radome?
A: Tejas - LCA Lsp4 and lsp7 are heading for bahrain and on the return leg, lsp7 will fire bvr. Cobham radome ground testing is on. Flight test will commence soon. BVR firing is without this.

Q: why are we experiencing delay in SP manufacturing.By now we should have 4 SP flying.Is there change in plan as to Whether these SP will IOC or FOC standard or are these modified to SOP-18 fighter.Please clarify ,i hope its the latter.
A: Tejas - LCA The directive as of now is that the first 20 ac will be with present configuration. The rest no is with SOP-18. This is,a wise decision looking at the time line HAL is seeking. The mark 1A needs all heavy gun's interference and an honest dedicated effort from all to realize.
And coming to delay in SP is because there are still grey areas in getting the finalized production version of all the components. The no runs to couple of thousands. All said done, delay is primarily because of lack of a clear cut directive. If you look at mirage 2000 induction, the integration of sensors was a continuous process whereas it is expected from tejas to have everything in the beginning itself, which is a tough ask.

Q: Will 4 SPs be produced by end of this financial year as per the target?
A: Tejas - LCA That's the target. 3 is a possible no.

Q: sir, regarding sop18 or mk1a is it really true we are looking to reduce weight of aircraft by 800kgs??
A: Tejas - LCA I doubt this figure, sir.

Q: What are issues with LCA for integration of gun ? As it is very important for any fighter jet.
A: Tejas - LCA Priorities. As of now, proving the capabilities to fire a BVR has taken the attention. Air Force is not much keen on GSH-23.

Q: In earlier post you mentioned integration of Gsh 23 is deferred. I thought ground runs of gun firing from Tejas has been already done? So what has been deferred, is it in flight test firing of gun or actual gsh 23 has been removed all together from LCA, for now?
>Are private companies being roped in for commercial production of numerous components?
>Last what missile the Tejas is carrying on outboard pylons? Doesnt seem r73 or even python, are they smoke generator pods?
A: Tejas - LCA Answer to q1 - you are right. The ground integration checks called butt firing tests have been done. The required structural mod also have been done. The prototype has been identified. It is the directive of IAF towards FOC requirement has been under discussion.
Answer to q2 will be political from our side, hence would like to avoid. Hope, you excuse us..
Answer to Q3 - yes, they are smoke winders normally uninstalled to produce smoke during demonstrations and specific flight testing task.

Courtesy Parikrama of PDF for collation

 

[rohit b3]

Can someone please clarify Tejas mk1's Ferry range (with minimum arnmanets and on internal fuel) and the same for a Gripen C ?
Press release said that "LCA Tejas is capable of flying non- stop to destinations over 1700 km away (Ferry Range)."
Is that with or without drop tanks?

 

[cobra commando]

Tejas begins practice sorties at Sakhir Airbase in Bahrain

 

[cobra commando]

These set of photographs are dedicated to all the Tejas fans. The practice sorties commenced to the full potential and will continue for two more days before the real showdown starts from 21st. (Tejas - LCA)

 

[Pandora]

Fresh baked Pics from BAS 2016 ..Enjoy

 

[tejas warrior]

Entire LCA Tejas team in Bahrain

Source : Nitin Gokhale @Twitter.

 

[tejas warrior]

This is pure Insult for Bander

It was developed as an obsolete plane.

 

[Nuvneet Kundu]

Those hoping for a LCA - JF 17 face off in Bahrain likely to be disappointed. Pak plane not on the confirmed list for Bahrain airshow.

 

[HariPrasad-1]

New quartz redome is under integration. However there was a plan to redesign it for better aerodynamic performance which includes the increasing the length. does anybody have any idea whether the redome is redesigned fro better aerodynamic improvement?

 

[guru-dutt]

New quartz redome is under integration. However there was a plan to redesign it for better aerodynamic performance which includes the increasing the length. does anybody have any idea whether the redome is redesigned fro better aerodynamic improvement?

to my knowledge as i read from FB page is that the orignal rodome was supplied in august but dint fit properlly and even after adjustments has had some issues in aerodynamics so a new one was ordered which is intigrated now and ground test are complete but what i cant understand is why arent the missiles intigrated as yet as it should be very easy to intigrate israeli missiles on israeli radar

 

[HariPrasad-1]

to my knowledge as i read from FB page is that the orignal rodome was supplied in august but dint fit properlly and even after adjustments has had some issues in aerodynamics so a new one was ordered which is intigrated now and ground test are complete but what i cant understand is why arent the missiles intigrated as yet as it should be very easy to intigrate israeli missiles on israeli radar

That is good but that does not answer my query. A new designed Redome was planned to improve the performance. Nobody knows whether the same design parameters are incorporated or not.

 

[Nuvneet Kundu]

That is good but that does not answer my query. A new designed Redome was planned to improve the performance. Nobody knows whether the same design parameters are incorporated or not.

I am looking for the same information since a year now, no luck. I have observed that this happens for projects that they want to protect from sabotage. They did this with MCIWS gun. Everyone thought the project was dead, a year ago it was unveiled. Probably hid it to prevent western gun lobbies from trying to kill it. Right now, US is putting pressure to scrape Rafale deal and take F16. They pressurized us to include the F16 in our latest MMRCA competition, I am sure they were pressurizing to buy it as well. They are blackmailing France not to sell it and India not to buy it. US is also pressurizing Israel not to sell radome; I vaguely recall reading it somewhere. It's a slap on that Negro's face when he was invited to our Republic day out of good faith, he gave a filthy speech calling Indian society intolerant, now he has lost the F16 deal, and France has got it and also got invitation for Republic day.

 

[HariPrasad-1]

I want that aerodynamic change in tejas to be incorporated as early as possible to reduce the drag and improve acceleration. It should be followed up with at least 500 kg weight reduction. This will make this platform a super one. It will kick all planes in our neighborhood except Su 30.

 

[Nuvneet Kundu]

It will kick all planes

I hope it does but I think it is a fallacy on our part that we always compare a weapon of a class with enemy's weapon of the same class, meaning, we compare Tejas with JF17 as if planes can only fight with planes, and we compare our tanks with Al Khalid as if tanks can only fight with tanks. I remember reading on many forums, people were upset that we still use the old T72 and were wondering why it wasn't phased out yet. It serves as a carrier platform for our Aakash missiles, nag missiles, our radars and other things. It can be used in air defense roles. Similarly, there is no compulsion that Tejas should only fight with JF17, we could use it to kill Paki tanks as well. The holistic defense planning mandates these things so we should not do weapon vs weapon type comparisons.

We have a complex air defense environment whereby maybe we have reserved a ground based SAM to deal with JF17, and maybe Tejas is for other electronic warfare roles. There are things this plane has that others don't. Like its electronics has been hardened tested against EMP blasts, the electronic warfare suit itself is some sort of cutting edge indigenous thing made by Kalam. Most people only know the standard issue EW suit which we buy from Israel but we have some hidden weapons which we will show only during war.

Tejas will more like serve as an information conduit between satellites at the top, air superiority fighters like SU30 below them, then Tejas, then ground attack helicopters. That's where the Tejas fits in. A flying electronic warfare machine. I don't see it as engaging in dogfights with Porkis. Maybe its secondary roles will be hitting Paki SAMs, command and control bunkers and so on.