Indian Air Force Light Combat Aircraft Tejas India's Second Supersonic Fighter

[WolfPack86]

Why's #Snecma #Saffran keen to finish #Kaveri in 18-months?
https://twitter.com/stptbarnum?lang=en

 

[WolfPack86]

In the meantine #Snecma jumps in & says will deliver #Kaveri = #F414 in 18-mths!
https://twitter.com/stptbarnum?lang=en

 

[airtel]

Why's #Snecma #Saffran keen to finish #Kaveri in 18-months?
https://twitter.com/stptbarnum?lang=en

In the meantine #Snecma jumps in & says will deliver #Kaveri = #F414 in 18-mths!
https://twitter.com/stptbarnum?lang=en

these articles were written in July 5, 2016

 

[WolfPack86]

LCA will be operated in large numbers, major improvements coming in Mk.1A: outgoing IAF chief ACM Arup Raha
https://twitter.com/livefist?lang=en

 

[WolfPack86]

Is Parrikar planning Private Production line for LCA-Tejas MK2?
Tender documents issued by HAL for components for development of first three LCA-Tejas MK2 aircraft suggests that MK2 program is again gaining momentum after recent flip-flops by Indian Navy and silence adopted by Indian air force over its requirement for MK2 variant. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is adamant to carry on the development of MK2 variant and is contemplating giving production rights to Joint private venture who will have exclusive rights to manufacture them in India. Buzz around media circle is that MK1A and MK2 might enter production post-2020 and Naval MK2 too will emerge by 2020 but HAL will be tasked to produce 16 MK1A per year and another production line may be tasked to produce 8-12 MK2 per year from a new joint venture. Parrikar sees requirement of another 83 MK2 combat jets to meet the shortfall in requirements of Indian Air force light class fighter jets after the retirement of Mig-21s and if ordered LCA-Tejas order table will be 40 MK1,83MK1A and 83MK2 which will add up to 206. Indian Navy also has a requirement for 56 carriers based fighter jets.
http://idrw.org/is-parrikar-planning-private-production-line-for-lca-tejas-mk2/

 

[WolfPack86]

Great news & about time! India's LCA Tejas to debut at this year's Republic Day flypast, reports
https://twitter.com/livefist?lang=en

 

[WolfPack86]

It's official: LCA Tejas to fly at Republic Day parade for the first time. Here's the announcement.
https://twitter.com/livefist?lang=en

 

[WolfPack86]

LCA Tejas flypast at Republic day rehearsal

 

[WolfPack86]

Tejas LSP-8 today successfully flew with air-to-air refueling probe.

Did air data test points till 0.6 Mach. All parameters normal.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TejasMrca/photos/?ref=page_internal

 

[WolfPack86]

#Tejas LSP8 today successfully flew with air-to-air refueling probe. Did air data test points till 0.6 Mach. All parameters normal.
https://twitter.com/hashtag/tejas?lang=en

 

[WolfPack86]

HAL says #Tejas SP4 should have its first flight around #AeroIndia2017 http://bit.ly/2kmRL2J
https://twitter.com/hashtag/tejas?lang=en

 

[WolfPack86]

SP-4 at striking distance from first flight
https://twitter.com/hashtag/tejas?lang=en

 

[WolfPack86]

#Tarmak007 Reports of #HAL having test flown the first #Tejas #aircraft with Air-to-Air refueling probe. A key parameter for Mk1A phase.
https://twitter.com/hashtag/tejas?lang=en

 

[WolfPack86]

The LCA Tejas (LSP8) flew yesterday with its Cobham refuelling probe.
https://twitter.com/livefist?lang=en

 

[WolfPack86]

Inching closer to the final operational task, Tejas got the In-Flight Refueling Probe flown on 31st Jan 2017 on KH-2018 (LSP-8) for the first time.
We take this opportunity to accolade the entire design and integration team for their untiring effort.

 

[WolfPack86]

Analysis: India's LCA Program Keeps On Fighting

India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) fighter program has had a long and chequered history. The process from first flight of a technology demonstrator to service entry, in July 2016, took 15 years. The “Tejas” received government approval in 2016 for another 83 airplanes specified to the Mk1A standard, adding to 40 earlier orders for the Mk1 version. But the program received a public rebuke recently, when the new chief admiral Sunil Lanba said the LCA Navy version does not meet requirements, and the service wants a new carrier-borne fighter by 2021-2022.
The Tejas Mk1A will be the definitive version for the air force, to be followed by the re-configured Tejas Mk2 and LCA Navy Mk2 versions.
“In the 2017 time frame, we would like to do a re-configuration of the aircraft to make it better in terms of aerodynamic performance. Following this we will start the detailed design activities,” says CD Balaji, program director at the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). “We are targeting 2020-2021 as the date for maiden flight on LCA Mk2,” he confirms.
ADA is also looking to have the first flight of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) prototype in 2025 and now plans to develop a new twin-engine fighter for the navy’s carriers. The proposed timelines for the AMCA and new navy fighter appear optimistic, considering the limited staff available to ADA and amount of work required to complete development of Tejas Mk1A and LCA Mk2 versions.
The main tasks for the LCA program are now related to completion of final operational clearance (FOC) tasks for Tejas Mk1, development of the Tejas Mk1A, Tejas Mk2 and LCA Navy Mk2. Initial operation clearance (IOC) for the Tejas Mk1 was obtained in December 2013. This is the standard to which Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) will build the first 20 aeroplanes. Three aircraft have already been delivered to the air force and six more will be delivered in 2017. All 20 airplanes (IOC standard) will be delivered by 2018 and the remaining 20 aircraft (FOC standard) will be delivered by 2020. The ramp-up in production is vital to meeting air force requirements for additional fighters.
To prepare for the increase in production rates for Tejas, HAL will invest 50% of the cost required to raise the production capacity from eight aircraft per year to 16 aircraft per year, while the air force and navy will invest 25% each.
“If we can demonstrate the Mk1A standard by 2018 – then all aircraft produced after that will be to the Mk1A standard including the 20 FOC aircraft,” says HAL chairman Suvarna Raju.
Manufacturing of the 83 Mk1A aircraft will commence in 2020 and continue until about 2025. ADA officials peg the cost of the Tejas Mk1A at $40 million per aircraft. The budgetary approval of $7.7 billion for 83 aircraft also includes the complete ecosystem for all 123 aircraft on order and includes support for the build-up of squadrons, infrastructure for first and second line servicing. It also covers the establishment of ground infrastructure and engine support and servicing facilities at bases.
The Tejas Mk1A will deliver substantially improved combat capability over preceding variants. It will be able to carry the beyond-visual-range Israeli Rafael Derby and air-to-air Russian R-73 close combat missiles. The new I-Derby, which has an advertised range of 33nm (62km), has also been offered for use on Tejas.
MBDA’s ASRAAM is another weapon that is being considered for the aircraft. HAL has already worked to integrate the ASRAAM to a helmet mounted display for the air force Jaguar DARIN III upgrade, so no challenges are expected in the integration of the weapon with the Tejas.
The Tejas Mk1A will also have a new active electronically scanned array radar (AESA), an electronic warfare suite (comprising a digital radar warning receiver and podded jammer), and an in-flight refueling probe. In December 2016, HAL issued a request for quotation for supply of an AESA radar for the Mk1A, to Elta, Saab, Raytheon, Thales and Rosoboronexport. ADA also says that it is planning to integrate an indigenously developed AESA radar on one of the LCA prototypes.
Surprisingly, the under-performing Kaveri Aero engine has got a new lease of life and will be fitted on an LCA prototype by 2018. The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) will get help on the troubled engine from Snecma, as part of its offset obligations for the Dassault Rafale deal. The new expenditure to review the Kaveri program will cost about $89 million according to DRDO officials, who are optimistic that a Kaveri-powered LCA prototype will make its first flight in 2018-2019, once the certification and safety related aspects are resolved. Approximately $313 million has already been spent to design and develop a modern fighter class aero engine under the Kaveri program.
Meanwhile, Tejas Mk1 variants will be powered by the General Electric F404 engine and the F414 will be used on Mk2 variants.
http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2017/02/analysis-indias-lca-program-keeps-on.html

 

[WolfPack86]

Kaveri engine powered LCA-Tejas by 2018-19 could be reality
India’s stalled Kaveri gas turbine engine developed for combat planes received a major boost after leading French defence manufacturer Safran agreed to help revive the Kaveri project and make it combat-worthy in 18 months was cleared by Ministry of Defence (MOD) as offset obligation on 36 Rafale fighter jet deal. As per Industrial sources, close to idrw.org. LCA-Tejas Prototype will be used to start Ground trials and by 2018, DRDO plans to integrate Kaveri engine into the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft. Once engine clears few certification and safety related aspects only then, LCA-Tejas will be cleared to make its first flight with indigenously developed Kaveri engine which according to DRDO should happen by 2020. DRDO and Safran plan to start integration work by end of 2018 or early 2019 and major ground trials with Kaveri engine will be scheduled for major part of 2019 before its first flight by 2020. Defence Analyst Ranesh Rajan speaking to idrw.org thinks that certification of Kaveri with LCA-Tejas might go on for nearly 5-6 years before the engine can be cleared by for mass production. IAF is supporting the project and is keen that Kaveri engine is developed so that can help replace American supplied General Electric F404 engine in future.
http://idrw.org/kaveri-engine-powered-lca-tejas-by-2018-19-could-be-reality/

 

[WolfPack86]

HAL plans to convert 20 FOC LCA-Tejas MK1 into MK1A
HAL chairman Suvarna Raju speaking to media has said that Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) is planning to demonstrate the MK1A standard by 2018. if HAL succeeds to do that, then remaining 20 aircraft (FOC standard) aircraft ordered by IAF will be converted into upgraded LCA-Tejas MK1A. IAF earlier had placed orders for 20 LCA-Tejas MK1 based on IOC-II Configurations and further 20 more based on Final Operational Clearance (FOC), IAF in 2016 placed order for 83 Upgraded MK1A Configuration taking the total LCA-Tejas order book to 123 aircraft all based on MK1 Airframes. HAL already has delivered SP1, SP2 and SP3 to Indian Air force and SP-4 is currently been prepped for its first flight before AeroIndia 2017. HAL plans to deliver SP5 and SP6 before March 2017. for FY2017-18 HAL plans to hand over all IOC-II LCA-Tejas MK1 ordered by IAF and also is working to demonstrating the MK1A standard by 2018 if this happens then remaining 20 LCA-Tejas MK1 will be upgraded MK1A Configuration.
http://idrw.org/hal-plans-to-convert-20-foc-lca-tejas-mk1-into-mk1a/

 

[HariPrasad-1]

If Kaveri turns out to be a 60 KN dry thrust engine as discussed and expected, MTOW of Tejas will rise to 15000 KG and with reduced weight of 6000 KG, It will almost carry weight equal to its own weight or a bit less. It will not require to use after burner in many maneuvers which will save a lots of fuel. It will give Tejas a very short takeoff distance and timing and enhanced Maneuverability. With Good EW and AESA, it will be an @$$ kicking weapon. I see this happening by 2020.

 

[singh100ful]

If Kaveri turns out to be a 60 KN dry thrust engine as discussed and expected, MTOW of Tejas will rise to 15000 KG and with reduced weight of 6000 KG, It will almost carry weight equal to its own weight or a bit less. It will not require to use after burner in many maneuvers which will save a lots of fuel. It will give Tejas a very short takeoff distance and timing and enhanced Maneuverability. With Good EW and AESA, it will be an @$$ kicking weapon. I see this happening by 2020.

If this happens then Tejas will be "Chota packet bada dhamaka" for our neighbours.