ADA Tejas (LCA) News and Discussions

[nitesh]

ok check this one, who is praising the Gripen: http://www.saabgroup.com/en/Air/Gri...t-to-India-Today-the-Future-is-Made-in-India/

 

[Rahul Singh]

One more thing known or spoken about is the fact that LCA inlet efficiency is not upto the mark. That is why inlets of super hornet are rectangular when compared with semi circular one in earlier hornets. SOmehow he didnt mention this.

The present round inlet was designed keeping in mind GTX 35 not F-414 so it will be unfair to say that inlet efficiency is not upto mark. In fact no reliable source has confirmed that inlet was wrongly designed for MK-1 or not working well presently. What some say instead is that engine transition to F-414 will require redesigning of inlet and comes with an example of Super Hornet which is logical and understandable.

 

[hitenray09]

The present round inlet was designed keeping in mind GTX 35 not F-414 so it will be unfair to say that inlet efficiency is not upto mark. In fact no reliable source has confirmed that inlet was wrongly designed for MK-1 or not working well presently. What some say instead is that engine transition to F-414 will require redesigning of inlet and comes with an example of Super Hornet which is logical and understandable.

i think f 414 has high thrust as compared to f 404 which is included in lca right now so it will be requiring more air intake hence for MK2 we have to change the inlet its obvious

 

[Parthy]

The IOC is scheduled for 27th Dec'10.Will the IOC be given without the entire LSP series A/C's ie., from LSP1 to LSP-8 flying at the same time? At present if I am correct only LSP1,2,3 and 4 are flying with LSP-5 carrying out ground runs.Any news about LSP-6,7 and 8 and possible dates for test flights?

I think LSP 5 is the final configuration with Weapon load and enhanced cockpit. Its already flying @ sea level trials in Goa as per last update-- need check for this.

 

[Rahul Singh]

ok check this one, who is praising the Gripen: http://www.saabgroup.com/en/Air/Gri...t-to-India-Today-the-Future-is-Made-in-India/

So a handsome cheque doing its expected work. No wonder why people like Vishnu Som, Shiv Aroor etc have been invited, hosted and flown in Gripen. I have a feeling, SAAB/Gripen is also seeing a possibility to eat into LCA share..................... Only god know to what point SAAB's wet dream has stretched.

 

[hitenray09]

simply to gobble up the much delayed LCA or after its arrival it may gobble up the market share of Grippen

 

[vijay jagannathan]

weight is just one issue. Tejas is definitely overweight. However the authorities haven't exactly been very transperent about this.

 

[Rahul Singh]

Or the world is too speculative, who knows? All we know that HF-XX Tejas is overweight as of now but plans are there to cut it down. May be removal of testing equipments like telemetry and additional structure support will help significantly.

 

[Rahul Singh]

LCA-Tejas has completed 1452 Test Flights successfully. (18-Oct-10).

(TD1-233,TD2-305,PV1-242,PV2-173, PV3-234,LSP1-60,LSP2-160,PV5-17, LSP3-16,LSP4-12)
LCA-Tejas has completed 1449 Test Flights successfully. (24-Sep-10).

(TD1-233,TD2-305,PV1-242,PV2-173, PV3-234,LSP1-60,LSP2-159,PV5-17, LSP3-15,LSP4-11)
http://www.ada.gov.in/archives.htm

If this data is not incorrect then close nothing was tested during Goa sea trials. May be i am wrong and i pray for it.

 

[Agantrope]

If this data is not incorrect then close nothing was tested during Goa sea trials. May be i am wrong and i pray for it.

Some months ago they flew Tejas in Goa with Supersonic speed in the ground level :angry_1:. It is already tested :happy_2:

 

[hitenray09]

i thought lca to be light combat aircraft how did it gained weight.?

 

[Rahul Singh]

Over the time the requirements went up from true air to air fighter with limited air to ground support to true Multi Role fighter. For that aircraft was required to carry more electronics, airframe was required to be strengthen for carrying heavy bombs and missiles..............the weight went up.

 

[nitesh]

So a handsome cheque doing its expected work. No wonder why people like Vishnu Som, Shiv Aroor etc have been invited, hosted and flown in Gripen. I have a feeling, SAAB/Gripen is also seeing a possibility to eat into LCA share..................... Only god know to what point SAAB's wet dream has stretched.

Rahul, this seems to be a pattern to bash DRDO, to let it open up what is getting worked, these are motivated attacks, this article will be useful in this context:

http://www.domain-b.com/aero/20080218_duds01.html

Involved as it is in development of military hardware of the future, it perhaps cannot really open up all its secrets for friend and foe to see.

That's the story of defence R&D organisations all over the world.

This compulsion to keep things under wraps can work against an organisation. It does, against the DRDO sometimes, because the DRDO is unable to rise to the bait and provide details to refute newspaper stories based on ignorance, bias or sheer motivation.

This article is a good read. I would request members to go through it

 

[Agantrope]

Concluded, when?

My Bad, they have done that in the banagalore, not in Goa

I mixed up the news with the MiG-29Ks flying there
http://www.brahmand.com/news/Tejas-LCA-takes-to-skies-at-supersonic-speed/4056/1/18.html

 

[nitesh]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101024/main4.htm

While the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas, is expected to receive operational clearance in the next two months and its induction into the IAF is scheduled for next year, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has embarked upon a project to develop its own fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

On the status of the Tejas project, Subramanyam said the aircraft trials for launching R-73 short-range anti-aircraft missiles and 1000 lbs bombs have been successful. "The 10 prototypes and pre-production variants have undertaken 1,450 sorties, which include about 200 with weapons," he said.

The IAF has projected a total requirement for about 120 Tejas and 16 two-seater trainer variants for equipping seven squadrons, while the Navy wants 57 aircraft of this type.

The ADA is also looking at integrating the Israeli Python air-to-air missile with the Tejas to meet the IAF requirements, while the Navy wants it to examine the possibility of the Israeli Derby missiles that it already uses on the Sea Harrier. The Tejas' avionics system, Subramanyam said, was open-ended so that weapon systems could be changed over seamlessly.

Of the 200-odd Tejas to be produced, each of which would cost Rs 200 crore, about 100 would be powered by the American General Electric 414 engine. Subramanyam said that a new project had been taken up for the development of the Kaveri engine in collaboration with French firm SNECMA that would meet the revised weight and flight parameters of the Tejas.

 

[hitenray09]

its good to learn that lca has a expected orderbook of 200 acs but lets see how much they can build

 

[Parthy]

Some months ago they flew Tejas in Goa with Supersonic speed in the ground level :angry_1:. It is already tested :happy_2:

Chandigarh, October 23
While the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas, is expected to receive operational clearance in the next two months and its induction into the IAF is scheduled for next year, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has embarked upon a project to develop its own fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

The proposed DRDO aircraft would be in the medium-weight (20-tonne) category and different from the joint Indo-Russian fifth-generation fighter that is on the cards, which is in the heavier 30-tonne category like the Su-30.

"The seed project for the new aircraft has started and is expected to be complete in about 18 months," P.S. Subramanyam, Director, Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), and head of the Tejas project, told The Tribune here today. The seed project would define the technical and operational requirements and lay out the broad concepts for developing the aircraft.

"Our proposed fighter would be a twin-engined aircraft in the category of the MiG-29," Subramanyam said.

On the status of the Tejas project, Subramanyam said the aircraft trials for launching R-73 short-range anti-aircraft missiles and 1000 lbs bombs have been successful. "The 10 prototypes and pre-production variants have undertaken 1,450 sorties, which include about 200 with weapons," he said.

The IAF has projected a total requirement for about 120 Tejas and 16 two-seater trainer variants for equipping seven squadrons, while the Navy wants 57 aircraft of this type.

The ADA is also looking at integrating the Israeli Python air-to-air missile with the Tejas to meet the IAF requirements, while the Navy wants it to examine the possibility of the Israeli Derby missiles that it already uses on the Sea Harrier. The Tejas' avionics system, Subramanyam said, was open-ended so that weapon systems could be changed over seamlessly.

Of the 200-odd Tejas to be produced, each of which would cost Rs 200 crore, about 100 would be powered by the American General Electric 414 engine. Subramanyam said that a new project had been taken up for the development of the Kaveri engine in collaboration with French firm SNECMA that would meet the revised weight and flight parameters of the Tejas.

Got the above news in the site - http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=13653

 

[Anshu Attri]

early LCA design with the cranked arrow

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/i ... 4909;image

 

[gogbot]

From LiveFist http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/10/tv-report-eurojet-consultant-expelled.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Must Watch , provides "a" explanation on what happened leading up to the Tejas Engine selection. And Possibly how GE has the lower bid.

 

[Patriot]

American heart for Tejas

BY: Pratik Sawerdekar For Security October issue

Defense community in India was once again taken by surprise when an almost certain contract of 99 engines for the country's most ambitious military project went not to the Europeans but the American's. Many believed that Eurojet's EJ-2000 was certain to win given the fact that it had IAF's support and was expected to be the lowest bidder. But it was the Americans who prevailed just by luck. Now LCA-Tejas Mk-2 will be powered by General Electric's GE-414 engine also used by F/A-18 Super Hornet and SAAB JAS-39 Gripen.

Eurojet as a matter of fact is believed to be the lowest bidder but it submitted its revalued figures just a day before the deadline hence the committee evaluating the offers didn't had enough time to go through the revalued offer and hence the earlier submitted bid was taken into consideration which was higher than that of American firm's bid. Now since both the engines meet all the requirements the committee declared the GE-414 as the winner as it was the lowest bidder. Many people were disappointed by the news and declared that India succumbed to US pressure.

We may not know the entire truth but the chances of the above story being true and "US pressure" being false is very likely. GE Aviation is a financially much stronger company than Eurojet and it is a subsidiary of General Electric which is a "multi-hundred" billion dollars company. Also the GE-414 program has backing of American Govt. thus lot of financial support too. The GE-414 engine has also paid its R&D cost as around 1000 of these engines are already built and scores more are on order thanks to US Navy's massive orders of Hornet fighters.

not only means that GE-Aviation is in a better position to provide the engine at lower cost but also keep the price low after the contract is signed. They for instant are providing tools and equipments to HAL to manufacture these engines for free where as the Eurojet is charging for it. We could have expected cost escalation with Eurojet as it did make mistakes while bidding.

The potential of this deal is huge; it will make the Super Hornet and Gripen cheaper in the MMRCA competition. This means the GE-Avaition not has a contract of 99 engines plus 50 in option but also has chances of winning 126-252 engines with option of 64-128 more. Also every aircraft needs atleast one engine change in its life time hence in longer term GE-Aviation can end up supplying upto 700 engines to India.

Many have raised alarm that India will have to depend upon the Americans even for their own aircraft. This is true, as USA is known for changing its policies and imposing sanctions within a short span of time but Indo-US relation has grown and US sees India as an important ally against China and hence would like to keep the relation warm. Even if we look this in a most

negative sense we can come to a conclusion that it is still the best possible move by India. This is because if in next 3-4 years US imposes sanctions on India, we cannot expect the Europeans to keep supplying the EJ-2000 had they won the contract and support the Tejas program as European Union follows the US decisions blindly and won't supply EJ-2000 either. Thus, sanction threat is not all gone if the Eurojet engine was chosen. Secondly time frame is important, if by the time US imposes sanctions and we have learnt how to build the engines than it won't be a issue as HAL in past has proven that it can maintain American engines without their support and since we have learnt to build the engine on our own we can keep doing it with sanctions denying GE support.

Ultimately India seems to have played its cards right and has given its most ambitious project a final boost. India can now truly focus on getting the Mk-2 variant developed and hope for quick production to replace IAF's obsolete fleet.






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