ADA Tejas (LCA) News and Discussions

[SHASH2K2]

I have been waiting for it since 1998 when i first started following defense issues!! :happy_2: :angry_1:

When you have waited for so long wait for just few more months. very soon LCA will be flying in Indian colours.

 

[SHASH2K2]

LCA Tejas To Lose "LCA" Tag In February 2011​

When the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) flies at Aero India 2011, it will no longer be referred to as the "LCA", an acronym it has had since the project took birth in the early 1980s. The LCA tag will be dropped permanently, though a replacement HF (Hindustan Fighter) designation remains inexplicably delayed. The original plan was to have an HF designation in place by October this year ahead of initial operational clearance (IOC) in December. Will be posting in detail shortly on the various hurdles the team is still grappling with ahead of IOC. These include angle of attack, sustained turn rate (STR) and speed at low altitudes.

 

[nitesh]

a very good read, some thing very revealing about what happens when a plane is inducted in haste, We liberally criticize our agencies for delays, but see scope creep leads to delays, and a plane which we rate so highly how poorly it performed when needed (F 16). I suggest it is a must read for members.

http://frontierindia.net/enabling-technologies-mig-21-f-16

Technological trajectory of the F-16 called the Fighting Falcon reveals the problems that surfaced during its transition from the production floor to its induction into the air squadrons. Two manufacturers, Northrop and General Dynamics produced the prototypes that embodied the virtues of the combat-aircraft criteria of the 50s. The GD design got the approval"¦it weighed about 20,000 pounds and carried only a simple aerial cannon, Sidewinder missiles, and their fire-control systems. Immediately after the series production clearance was accorded by the US Congress, the aircraft came under the purview of US Air Force's development and procurement bureaucracies. The full scale engineering production blueprint of USAF introduced various military specifications which added roughly two tons of new electronic equipment and other modifications. During prototype development some 25 air force personnel were involved"¦once production was cleared it had grown to over 200 and the contractor's team went from 150 to about 1,500. Gradually the aircraft mission got redefined"¦.instead of being a 100 per cent pure fighter, as originally envisaged, it got converted into a multi-mission aircraft to be used for attacking ground targets and for dropping nuclear bombs. The structural and electronic packages justified by new missions raised the cost and degraded its performance as a fighter. Originally it was designed to withstand forces of 7.33g"¦..but the Configuration Control Committee increased it to 9g, which led to structural reinforcements and additional weight along with a gamut of avionics viz. Radar, ECM, etc all adding weight to the aircraft and cost to the Exchequer. Installing a complex radar demanded more power and more cooling, which made the fuselage grow. End result"¦wings and tail had to be enlarged — the tail was not enlarged enough which reduced the aircraft stability in flight. It weighed 24,000 pounds instead of 20,000 pounds with a proportional reduction in acceleration, and was loaded heavily with hard-to-maintain electronic gadgets. The first operational model was delivered to the Air Force in January 1979. It was the first fighter that cost 75 per cent more than the basic version when modified to deliver nuclear weapons. Baseline Lifetime expectancy was set at 8,000 hrs based on:

— 55.5 per cent air-to-air missions
— 20 per cent air-to-ground missions
— 24.5 per cent general flying.

In 1990, twelve years after induction, a news item appeared that reported more than 100 crashes of F-16: USAF—80; NATO—17; PAK—13. The aircraft was labeled the WIDOW MAKER. It was reported that hasty induction of the aircraft had led to use of certain wirings which did not conform to MIL-STD requirements (fly-by-wire going haywire?). Later another report placed restrictions on F-16 from indulging in high 'g' maneuvers and low level missions. These restrictions prevailed during the Gulf War"¦.even after two decades of combat flying. It came to be referred to as a 'clear weather' aircraft which did not meet the assigned tasks during the Gulf War"¦its performance was officially criticized by the US General Accounting Office. In May 1991, US Senate Armed Services Committee found the stealth fighter F-117 to be eight times more effective than F-16. Plans were on to terminate production of F-16 but the commercial implications of the multi-nation development venture involving the USA, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Israel and a host of customers gave the aircraft a fresh lease of combat life.

 

[A chauhan]

LCA Tejas in video game FlightGear Sim (PC) -

the correct website for download :

http://www.unitedfreeworld.com/Models_military.html

sorry if repost !

 

[Parthy]

State Agency Busy, Private Industry To Build Composites For Production LCA Tejas

With series production of the Tejas MK-1 to begin shortly to service an order for 20 (+20) aircraft for the Indian Air Force's inaugural LCA squadron, the Tata Group will, fortuitously enough, build the aircraft's most complex composite parts, giving the production series of the aircraft a decidedly more substantial private sector component that originally planned. The decision to rope in Tata's Advanced Materials Ltd (TAML) to build 20 sets of composites for the first 20 Tejas MK-1 jets was taken after India's state-owned National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) first accepted the task, despite being a strictly design and development agency, and then said its hands were full ("oh and hey, we're not a production agency") with reviving the Saras (more on that later) and other civil airplane programmes. Tata will produce 13 major composite parts for each of the 20 Tejas MK-1 fighters. These include parts in the centre fuselage, undercarriage doors, fin and rudder.

http://livefist.blogspot.com/

 

[Rahul Singh]

My wildest dream is coming true. What if production and assembly of entire fuselage(except electronics) and landing gear is outsourced to TATA, production and assembly of wings and rest of control surfaces is out sourced to Mahindra Aerospace, production of majority of electronics and avionics is outsourced to SAMTEL followed by final assembly at HAL. I guess it will drastically reduce time to roll-out and IAF may induct three LCA's every three months initially, followed by two LCA every month. I think it is the right time to explore so that when we start assembly/production of MRCAs, MTAs, RTAs, FGFA, AMCA etc our privet sector groomed enough.

 

[RAM]

wrong post- Mods delete pls.
http://sify.com/news/first-air-force-job-camp-held-in-chhattisgarh-news-national-klpmOocdhgf.html

 

[Rahul Singh]

Source: Livefist
Credit: Abhishek Kaushal

 

[nitesh]

So who is making the carbon fibres now? Reliance or Tata?
ref: http://www.livemint.com/2008/07/13235819/Reliance-looks-to-NAL-to-make.html

 

[SATISH]

So who is making the carbon fibres now? Reliance or Tata?
ref: http://www.livemint.com/2008/07/13235819/Reliance-looks-to-NAL-to-make.html

http://www.tamlindia.com/

I guess both are going to make composites. And also M&M are opening their own division.

Heard even Godrej Aerospace are going to poke their nose into this as they are also expanding their Compsite division. Remember that they are the ones building the Vikas engine's components.

 

[SATISH]

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...emrock, HAL Partner For Carbon-Fiber Pre-Pegs

India's Kemrock Industries and Exports Ltd. (KIEL), which makes reinforced polymer composites, signed a partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) on Nov. 16 for a joint venture. The new firm will develop, manufacture and market aerospace-grade carbon fiber pre-pegs, along with its associated pre-pegs for defense and aerospace programs in India.

Announcing the venture, Kalpesh Patel of KIEL said that both companies have identified opportunities for development and marketing of pre-pegs. "It has immense potential in aerospace and defense programs in India, as well as globally," Patel said.

In May, KIEL commissioned India's first carbon-fiber manufacturing facility in Vadodara in a technological tie-up with the National Aerospace Laboratory. The fully integrated plant has an initial capacity of 400 tons annually.

KIEL has also recently announced the formation of a joint venture with DSM Composite Resins AG of Switzerland to manufacture unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins in India. Kemrock plans to devote $300-400 million in the next five years for new initiatives. KIEL offers a fully integrated range of raw materials and engineered composite products. The company provides the largest portfolio of composite products and delivers both ready and customized products that are ideal replacements for traditional materials prone to corrosion and maintenance. The company's product range includes thermo-setting resins and composite products such as windmill blades, rail coach interiors/exteriors, cable management systems, and gratings.

 

[Patriot]

Tracking the Tejas: Weather holds back LSP-5 flight again today

Hyderabad: Despite being cleared by the flight readiness review board and having undertaking the most-tempting high-speed taxi trials (HSTT) a number of times, the maiden flight of the Tejas limited series production (LSP-5) had to be postponed again today (Nov 17). Ruining LSP-5's sky party in Bangalore was the weather again.
The LSP-5 has been waiting in the wing for more than a week now to kiss the Bangalore skies. This is the 11th test vehicle to joint the flightline of India's light combat aircraft (LCA) program.
"We had prepared the aircrfat ready last night hoping that the weather will clear today. The team was ready even though it is a closed holiday due to Id. Now, we are hoping for the best tomorrow and so that we could fly. Even we had an HSTT today," sources said.
Stay tuned for more updates. Hope the Weather Gods would shift their rain dance venue from Bangalore!










http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/2010/11/finally-finally-tejas-lsp-5-will.html

 

[Parthy]

Tejas induction may overshoot deadline​

Indian Air Force was slated to fly the fighter aircraft by March 2011

New Delhi, November 17
The Indian Air Force would have to wait for another 10 months or a year for the induction of indigenously developed light combat aircraft Tejas, it has been learnt. While earlier the aircraft was slated to be inducted into the IAF by March 2011, now even the clearance to operationally fly the fighter may not be available by this period.

There has been a delay in the completion of the Tejas project and the aircraft was not likely to meet the March 2011 deadline, as had been announced by Defence Minister AK Antony, sources said.

A meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Defence was held yesterday and the members were informed that the LCA (Tejas) was approaching the initial operational clearance scheduled for December, but the final operational clearance — after which it would be inducted into the IAF — may only be possible by next year-end, the sources said.

After the operational clearance, the first lot of fighters would be handed over to the Air Force. Subsequently, a series of tests would be conducted. A review is being conducted by the IAF Chief every quarter to check the progress on Tejas, the sources said.

Notably, a contract for the procurement of 20 Tejas was allotted to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on March 31, 2006. The total contract cost was Rs 2,701 crore. The delay in LCA production was primarily due to refinements carried out in the development phase. A total of Rs 1,712 crore has already been paid to HAL till 2009-end.

The delay in the project was due to certain technical complexities and denial of critical technology, including the fly-by-wire system, that keeps the fighter stable as its takes twists and turns, it has been learnt. The programme was originally envisaged some 25 years ago.

Meanwhile, Antony yesterday told the Parliamentary Consultative Committee that the Ministry would be making all efforts to create an environment for speedy indigenisation of defence systems and platforms. Certain policy decisions were on the anvil to give a big boost to the defence industry and for the production of futuristic weapon systems within the country. The meeting reviewed the performance of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The DRDO is working on various projects like LCA, aero-engine, electronic warfare system, long-range and medium-range missiles, early warning systems, low intensity conflict technologies, radars, armament systems, etc.

Meanwhile, members of Parliament have expressed concern over the cost and time overruns for different projects. The DRDO was asked to come back with the detail of cost and time over-runs for each project and the reasons for the delay, the sources said.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101118/nation.htm#6

 

[hitenray09]

good lord they are stretching it again

 

[thakur_ritesh]

Tejas induction may overshoot deadline​

Indian Air Force was slated to fly the fighter aircraft by March 2011

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101118/nation.htm#6

but isnt this on schedule? ioc is happening on time, foc if i am not mistaken is happening on time then whats the big deal here?

 

[plugwater]

but isnt this on schedule? ioc is happening on time, foc if i am not mistaken is happening on time then whats the big deal here?

FOC is pushed to next year end..but it was earlier scheduled for march 2011.

 

[Parthy]

but isnt this on schedule? ioc is happening on time, foc if i am not mistaken is happening on time then whats the big deal here?

A meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Defence was held yesterday and the members were informed that the LCA (Tejas) was approaching the initial operational clearance scheduled for December, but the final operational clearance — after which it would be inducted into the IAF — may only be possible by next year-end, the sources said.

Hope this makes the point... !!!

 

[Godless-Kafir]

I am just curious about the Fly by Wire control system. For many years they said the digital quadruplex system was getting indigenous developed now i hear it is imported? Any one hear about it?

 

[Patriot]

Reports On Another Tejas Delay (Meanwhile, here's more about the platform's composites)

There was a report in a newspaper today that deliveries of the Tejas to the Indian Air Force could be delayed till the end of 2011.





http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/11/reports-on-another-tejas-delay.html

 

[maomao]

When Elite govt. funded R&D bodies are filled with left-over engineers and quota sponsored non-performing/incompetent people who would never get a job in private sector on the basis of their intellect, then this is expected to be a permanent feature in govt. and other such bodies where GOI has a say. GOI should start privatizing these institutions and you will see the difference, unless Quota is introduced in private sector too, as proposed by this UPA govt.