Problem is that we are expecting too much from this single engine LCA and fail to understand the exact requirement of the IAF and the real purpose of lca.
LCA is the program started to develop the capability to design the fighter plane and develop the indegenous aviation industry, and let indian industry grow to make the sub components and in this process develop a fighter plane which could replace the mig 21, the working horse of IAF. Its been a long road, and its really amazed me that lca survives despite such effort to kill this program. There is no point discussing why lca is delta design, why delta have more drag, why ada develop fighter plane which have limited range, why no cannard etc etc. Because to understand all this we have to search the history and doors of mind open -- like because tailless delta have very less control surface which make it less complicated to developed FBW and short take off and higher lift during take off and to use the mig 21 infrastucture.
now for the iaf, the most dire need is the replacement of the Mig 23, mig 27 and mig 21. when we are saying mig 21 i am not including mig 21 bison for the time being which is due to phrased out by 2024. of this mig 23 have been phrased out, and mig 27 and older mig 21 needs to be replaced. if we look at the roles of these planes, mig 23bn and mig 23 mf were ground attack and interceptor/air superiority respectively. For airsuperiority iaf now have MKI's and mig 29UPG, for interceptor role, the mig's have been upgraded to bison standard and take care of that role for the time being supported by mirrage 2000/2000 upg. For the CAS and tactical interdiction we need to phrased out mig 21MF/M which LCA Tejas mk-1(without internal IRST, jammer) could supplement. Now the big void which is 149 unit of mig 23 has to be fill quickly, and sorry to say that now IAF have to think quickly how they want to transint themselfself to which structure aka role based or only multirole fighter plane structure. If they want to go to the role based, which I think they will then, the best way is to go by converting the present DPSA (Deep Strike Aircraft) Jaguar into the ground attack role and go for the whole 140 units of Jaguar units left to the Darin III upgrade instead of 70 odd units. For the single engine CAS and tactical interdiction role go with the LCA MK-1 and Combat HAWK of HAL/BAE which will lower the cost of operation. Go for the LCA MK-2 with superior engine, internal jammer/IRST/OBOG/aerial refuel probe for the multirole and interceptor cum dogfighter capability to replace mig 21 bison 2024 onwards and with full future plan/aim to upgrade it further to replace the MIG-29UPG and Mirrage 2000 UPG too, such as fibre optics based FBW, F414 EPE, TVC.
There are some members who thinks of ADA's AMCA -- for them the plane like AMCA is never going to be cheaper operation cost, thus should be meant for the special operation such as to strike the heavily guarded target during the early stage of the war to breach the enemy air defence. And those supporting Gripen and F-16 block 60/70 they should understand that the requirement is huge and even with the huge order and make in india or tot those options have to be gauged with the financial point of view and in my view never going to be the cheaper one and should consider the infrastructure and spares/weapons also.
