ADA Tejas Mark-II/Medium Weight Fighter

[fire starter]

Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk.102 can do 22.5-37.5kN while HTFE-25 is 25kN. Why not go for the Mk.951 version that powers India's BAE Hawks generating 29 kN?... Can the same afterburner not be fitted to it?

That could quickly give us a 29-40kN engine to see the jaguars off for the rest of their days.

hal said that they can develop afterburning module of htfe25 in 5 years .

 

[Bleh]

hal said that they can develop afterburning module of htfe25 in 5 years .

For 25-40 kN, we could get a 29-40kN much quicjer this way... And HTFE-35 hasn't really taken off.

 

[IndianHawk]

Darin 3 upgrade is said to have costed over a $ billion. You suggested that should be scrapped?!

I didn't say that. I said there is no htfe35 as of now only htfe25 and that too will take time to mature.

Btw I read on another forum that Japanese engine ihi xf5 is a drop fit for jaguar.

 

[Prashant12]

#MWF Mock-Up at #DefenceExpo2020 This engineering cockpit simulator of Medium Weight Fighter is embedded with LAD (large area display), sleek HUD (Head-Up Display) and a side stick (joystick on pilot’s side console).

#MWF 1:1 mock-up getting warmed up at #DefenceExpo2020.

 

[MonaLazy]

DefExpo 2020: A close look at the MWF

 

[RPK]

India’s Medium Weight Fighter set to fly into detail design phase

https://english.manoramaonline.com/...india-defence-expo-medium-weight-fighter.html

 

[fire starter]

MWF cockpit...............

 

[MonaLazy]

DefExpo 2020: A close look at the MWF

Key Standouts (having trouble clearly understanding the accent so there is room for improvement in this list) of LCA Mk2-
- Nose probe of Mk1 eliminated, replaced with multi-function smart air data probes
- These smart probes are being accommodated underbelly so you don't have pneumatic lines running to the system (from the nose) where radar performance is reduced
- IRST to fight stealthily, can switch off the radar and find targets with this
- retractable IFR probe to reduce drag
- Major changes in the cockpit
-- Large area display in place of 3 small displays 5x6 & 5x5 from Mk1
-- Sleek HUD (LiteHUD from BAE Systems) as opposed to conventional HUD in Mk1
-- Active side stick instead of a central control stick
- additional 2 control surfaces (close-coupled canards) to improve lift to drag ratio.. additional lift
- Mk2 has 11 hardpoints compared to 7 in Mk1
- Tip missiles
- Integrate astra also
- Max station wise weapon-carrying capacity of 1800 Kgs
-- Because of above we are in a position to integrate Rudram-3 very heavy stand-off indigenous weapon under development
- the air intake has been modified to improve the pressure recovery
- cant angles & (ballast?) modified
- Unique aircraft in IAF carrying 8 BVR missiles at same time- no IAF fighter aircraft can carry this much BVR ordinance including the new ones (Rafale) being inducted!
- 3 slots in Mk1 underwing, in Mk2 because of tip missile outboard slot has been removed and we have only 2 slots now
- Rear MAWS sensors being accommodated on the fin
- Higher thrust engine being integrated (F414-GE-INS6 has a dry thrust of 13,000 lbf (57.8 kN) and 22,000 lbf (97.9 kN) of wet thrust)
- To accommodate all these fuselage length is up by 1.35 metres
- Wing spacing increase was additional 300 mm

Hope we see this coming to fruition soon!

Have to say the display model is tardy especially where the wings join the fuselage and then rust trail from where the canards are joined. Hope it is fixed before the expo is thrown open.

 

[Assassin 2.0]

Lucknow: The Medium Weight Fighter (MWF), the gen-next variant of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas – LCA MK-II, will enter the Detail Design phase next month.

The configuration for this advanced single-engine fighter has been frozen along with sub-system level Preliminary Design Reviews (PDRs).

It is now confirmed that the most-critical ‘aircraft-level PDRs’ will be held at the end of this month.

And, the detail design and tool design activities will start from next month.

Sources confirmed to Onmanorama that the all-important metal cutting for MWF is scheduled to start from April 2021. Sources claim that the Indian Air Force (IAF) has indicated to induct about 12 squadrons of MWF.
Long lead activities like procurement of raw material for metal cutting have already been commenced.

“We have frozen the design configuration,” says an official.

At the time of publishing this story, a 1:1 mockup cockpit of MWF has already reached the DefExpo site -- Vrindavan Yojna area -- from Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in Bengaluru.

The mockup, an engineering cockpit simulator, is embedded with large area display (LAD), sleek Head-Up Display (HUD) and side stick, or control stick on pilot’s side console.

def-expo4
Project so far

The present allocation is about Rs 2,500 crore and it is only a matter of time before the funding is enhanced for increased scope of the MWF.

“We are unable to put an estimated figure now as to how much the project would cost till the four prototypes are rolled out. At this stage, costing of many requirements is still being estimated. On completion of all estimations a final figure will emerge,” an official said.

The idea of MWF was mooted after the IAF wanted an ideal platform to replace Mirage 2000, Jaguar and the MiG 29.

It wanted a fighter with improved range, endurance, lethality and increased payload carrying capacity.

Based on the requirements projected by Air HQ for enhanced performance, configuration optimization studies were initiated by ADA in November 2016.

“A configuration with improved performance and increase in internal fuel was evolved. Subsequently, the IAF also indicated a requirement to integrate heavy stand-off weapons. To meet these capabilities, a final configuration was worked out in September 2018,” says an official.

This placed the aircraft in the MWF category and the Air HQ issued Preliminary Staff Qualitative Requirements (PSQRs) in July 2019.

At present, along with ADA and HAL, many DRDO and CSIR labs, private industries and academia are involved in the programme.

defexpo3
Unique features

In addition to improved range and endurance, the MWF has a maximum all-up weight of 17,500 kg with increase in weapon carrying capacity. Among the key features are:

• Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar in place of Multi-Mission Radar (MMR)

• Internal electronic warfare (EW) suite with jammer

• Integration of latest sensors like Infra Red Search and Track (IRST) and Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS)

• Multi sensor data fusion

• NCW (Network Centric Warfare) capabilities

• Close Coupled Canard

• Improvements in maintainability

• Increased internal fuel

• OBOGS (On Board Oxygen Generating System)

To a query on the first-time-features to be embedded on the MWF, probably missing on other platforms in its class, sources claimed that add-ons like multi sensor data fusion, NCW capabilities, OBOGS, Close Coupled Canard, IRST and MAWS make the fighter superior.

Supersonic drops tanks, retractable air-to-air refueling (AAR) probe, quick turnaround\role change and fly-by-wire flight controls with upgraded Digital Flight Control Computer (DFCC) are some of the other features of the MWF.

To be powered by GE-F414-INS6 engine, the MWF has a service ceiling of 50,000 feet.

It is 14.6 m in length, has 8.50 m wingspan and stands at 4.56 m height. It is capable of touching up to +9/-3.2 ‘g’ limits and can fly at maximum speeds of 1.8 Mach.

def-expo2
Loads of weapons

Once operational, the MWF will be one of the most potent fighter platforms of IAF owing to its versatile weapon menu. Officials confirm that the MWF will have 11 hard points (to carry ammunition/drop tanks) as compared to seven on Tejas Mk-1/1A.

It will also be able to carry eight Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles at any given point of time giving it an edge.

The ammunition pack on MWF include heavy and long range stand-off air-to-ground weapons, Laser Guided Bombs (LGBs), conventional bombs, BVR missiles, Close Combat Missiles (CCMs) and smart precision weapons.

MWF can carry weapon loads up to 6,500 kg as against 3,500 kg by its earlier avatars, while the maximum All Up Weight will be around 17,500 kg.

This will make MWF in the category of Gripen NG, F 16 Block 70, F 18 E/F and Mirage 2000.

During configuration studies, IAF is said to have indicated that MWF should be a replacement for Mirage 2000 and have more advanced avionic capabilities. Accordingly, the designers have made the MWF architecture and configuration relatively more modern than Mirage 2000.

Target 2023

The first prototype of MWF ‘roll out’ is scheduled for August 2022 with its first flight expected in September 2023. A total of four prototypes are being planned initially.

Not wanting to repeat the missed lessons in Tejas MK1 project, the IAF is involved actively in every step right from the beginning of MWF. The Project Monitoring Team (PMT) from IAF is a part of all activities providing necessary inputs to the designers. Periodic reviews are also conducted by Air HQ.

Similar to the Tejas MK-1, HAL is fully involved from the beginning as the principal partner mandated to produce all prototypes.

“It is not Tejas and it is not light and hence not LCA. It is a medium weight category aircraft set to replace 4+ generation aircraft,” says an official.

(The writer is an independent aerospace and defence journalist, who blogs at Tarmak007 and tweets @writetake.)

 

[fire starter]

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[Aaj ka hero]

During configuration studies, IAF is said to have indicated that MWF should be a replacement for Mirage 2000 and have more advanced avionic capabilities. Accordingly, the designers have made the MWF architecture and configuration relatively more modern than Mirage 2000.

Bhai log and mam log, this wordings everybody must remember, if something goes wrong this writer and if he is right then IAF must be held accountable.
Import lobby of IAF which is now in tenterhooks must never be allowed to rise again.

 

[fire starter]

Not wanting to repeat the missed lessons in Tejas MK1 project, the IAF is involved actively in every step right from the beginning of MWF. The Project Monitoring Team (PMT) from IAF is a part of all activities providing necessary inputs to the designers. Periodic reviews are also conducted by Air HQ.

great to see IAF is actively involved in this project . it means that all the dreams and planning of lobbyists are completely shattered.

 

[IndianHawk]

Not wanting to repeat the missed lessons in Tejas MK1 project, the IAF is involved actively in every step right from the beginning of MWF. The Project Monitoring Team (PMT) from IAF is a part of all activities providing necessary inputs to the designers. Periodic reviews are also conducted by Air HQ.

Well this time they can't make excuses.

 

[fire starter]

MWF cockpit...............View attachment 42334

finally it is having wide area HUD .............

 

[DG7867]

................................................View attachment 42346 View attachment 42347 View attachment 42348 View attachment 42349

Looks like ADA will try to integrate MBDA storm shadow to MWF..

 

[RPK]

.

 

[porky_kicker]

Looks like ADA will try to integrate MBDA storm shadow to MWF..

No
Indian missile with similar role and functionality under development ..................................

The models shown are simply placeholders

 

[fire starter]

No
Indian missile with similar role and functionality under development ..................................

The models shown are simply placeholders

is it really under development . what about SFDR.

 

[noobmaster69]

is it really under development . what about SFDR.

With the Brahmos NG arriving... Do we really need the scalp?

 

[Aniruddha Mulay]

With the Brahmos NG arriving... Do we really need the scalp?

Brahmos NG and SCALP are two different missiles. SCALP is way more manuverable than Brahmos owing to its subsonic speed. Brahmos is basically a Mach 2.8 bullet.