LCA TEJAS MK1 & MK1A: News and Discussion

[arkos]

Well if MoD is stalling then what's the minister doing? Sadly we have DM with no understanding of technicality who only thinks in terms of money and cost savings.

It the military that does not want them. Only thing MoD can do is ask Drdo and Hal to work faster on weaponization of platform.

 

[arkos]

Off topic
...And it is 18 ton only, with all the parts. That's lighter than even the troop carrying trucks passing though the Himalayan roads.
They managed to deploy T-90s in Ladakh by taking it via roadways.

And deployment will be limited to certain areas and to a limited number of artillery pieces with limited mobility. Compare this to what ULhs and MGS would bring. So you are the one spreading misinformation that a heavy towed howitzer like atags would be better than mountainous regions.

 

[Bleh]

And deployment will be limited to certain areas and to a limited number of artillery pieces with limited mobility. Compare this to what ULhs and MGS would bring.

ATAGS may be heavier but 18t is nothing, lighter than literally any army truck that'll pass through literally any Himalayan roads
Any MGS of comparable capability would be heavier than it (obviously) & ULHs have far lower range (limited to very specific scenarios, only for remote areas where connecting roads don't exist or are destroyed).

Anyways, whatever. Suit yourself... This is not the thread for it.

 

[wraith96]

Howcome Mig21 has SPJ but Tejas doesn't... couldn't it be fitted with eltas jamming Pod.

 

[IndianHawk]

Howcome Mig21 has SPJ but Tejas doesn't... couldn't it be fitted with eltas jamming Pod.

That will come with mk1a. It's an example of delayed development. Eventually all mk1 will be upgraded to mk1a.

 

[arkos]

source :

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

It the military that does not want them. Only thing MoD can do is ask Drdo and Hal to work faster on weaponization of platform.

Even if the military wants them where is the money?
The current air chief is a huge supporter of this programme. Foc is the full envelope weapoizwd platform anyway.

 

[Assassin 2.0]

HAL Produced FOC Standard LCAs Join IAF Stable
@drajaykumar_ias

@DefProdnIndia

@SpokespersonMoD

@PTI_News

@IAF_MCC

@gopalsutar

 

[geoBR]

Indian Air Force commissions second Tejas LCA fighter squadron

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/...LoMHirUh3dkVXqbHt_saMxPbt7XDMDw9Ya6-v5siRXqrk

The Indian Air Force (IAF) commissioned its second squadron of Tejas Mk 1 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) in a ceremony held on 27 May at Sulur Air Force Station (AFS) in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Officials told Janes that the first of a planned 20 LCAs in final operational clearance (FOC) configuration was inducted into the No 18 ‘Flying Bullets’ Squadron during the event, adding that four more of these aircraft are currently “in advanced stages of production and testing” and will join the squadron “in the near future”.

Compared with the previous variant, the LOC-configured Tejas Mk 1 has an aerial refuelling and a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capability, both of which were successfully tested for the first time in March following a delay of some eight years.

Moreover, senior IAF officials said that this variant of the single-engined fighter also enables easier maintainability of its line-replaceable units (LRUs).

Industry sources said 15 more LOC-configured single-seat Mk 1s will eventually be delivered to the IAF by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). These platforms will then be joined by four dual-seat trainers once their design configuration has been finalised.

Ordered in 2010 for INR59.89 billion (USD792 million), the 20 LOC-configured Mk 1s will supplement 16 Mk 1s in initial operational clearance (IOC) configuration that entered service from 2016 with the IAF’s No 45 ‘Flying Daggers’ Squadron, which is also based at Sulur.

This squadron is also awaiting delivery of its four twin-seat trainers.

 

[Assassin 2.0]

Tweet by Chief of Corporate Communications/Media Relations at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (

 

[Chinmoy]

Well if MoD is stalling then what's the minister doing? Sadly we have DM with no understanding of technicality who only thinks in terms of money and cost savings.

Why are you derailing the thread by bringing in LCH & ATAGS in ?
Second, MOD don't give orders. It's IAF who need to order. But they can't go on giving orders unless the ones in pipe line gets cleared first.

 

[IndianHawk]

From indranil at BRF

Lsp 8 is being transformed into mk1a for testing .
Some serial production jets will also be turned mk1a for faster testing .

All ioc lca will converted to foc soon. And eventually all foc will be converted to mk1a.

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

Why are you derailing the thread by bringing in LCH & ATAGS in ?
Second, MOD don't give orders. It's IAF who need to order. But they can't go on giving orders unless the ones in pipe line gets cleared first.

Just meant all indigenous project including the Tejas mk1A is stalled for want of funds. What do you mean IAF needs to order? Where do they have money to order? The govt has promised the defence forces that they will provide funds as when the needs arise than the allocated funds. That's how the govt has has been paying in last 3 years through supplementary budgetary payments. IAF don't have money to even pay for committed agreements in the original budget.

In addition to that IAF already has due of 13k crores to HAL, of which atleast more than half will need to be paid to private MSME's through HAL.

The only thing this govt has done is ensuring 100% spending and ordering basic jackets and gears for forces in forward areas. And new basic weapons. Even this process is ongoing.

After attacking the UPA for being inefficient which they are, still after 6 years IAF squadron strength has only gone down. No sight to achieve 42 squadron. This is for basic defence. If we are to achieve offensive superiority over 2 neighbors IAF needs around 65 squadrons. We are nowhere close nor even starting to invest to close that gap. Govt has to realise defence can be a major employment and revenue generator. But for that govt has to order first. Or else you will see pleas like Tonbo imaging crying.

 

[HariPrasad-1]

Nope. Noted long time ago.

What does it mean. Please elaborate.

 

[Bleh]

What does it mean. Please elaborate.

You've missed old posts. We noticed during Lima19 that LSP-9 had a different canopy than regular one on LSP-10.

I think I have identified 3 separate canopies for Tejas.

The regular one from old prototypes.

And the slightly bulged version of that canopy on FOC

The one on SP-9 at Lima last year, bulged but flat at top.

 

[IndianHawk]

Just meant all indigenous project including the Tejas mk1A is stalled for want of funds. What do you mean IAF needs to order? Where do they have money to order? The govt has promised the defence forces that they will provide funds as when the needs arise than the allocated funds. That's how the govt has has been paying in last 3 years through supplementary budgetary payments. IAF don't have money to even pay for committed agreements in the original budget.

In addition to that IAF already has due of 13k crores to HAL, of which atleast more than half will need to be paid to private MSME's through HAL.

The only thing this govt has done is ensuring 100% spending and ordering basic jackets and gears for forces in forward areas. And new basic weapons. Even this process is ongoing.

After attacking the UPA for being inefficient which they are, still after 6 years IAF squadron strength has only gone down. No sight to achieve 42 squadron. This is for basic defence. If we are to achieve offensive superiority over 2 neighbors IAF needs around 65 squadrons. We are nowhere close nor even starting to invest to close that gap. Govt has to realise defence can be a major employment and revenue generator. But for that govt has to order first. Or else you will see pleas like Tonbo imaging crying.

This is uninformed view. This govt has ordered 6SSN worth 1lakh crore. Dhanush is already entering service. Atags is in limited series production to iron out kinks. Mk1a contract has been cleared by CCS and development work is continuing with great speed.

Htt 40 is being ordered instead of pilatus. Mpatgm has been given priority over Israeli import.

More akash squadrons have been ordered and qrsam is FasTracked.

This 65 SQ thing is hogwash . That 42 sq thing was formulated in 1960s when jets were not multirole and had much less range and endurance.

 

[aditya10r]

This 65 SQ thing is hogwash . That 42 sq thing was formulated in 1960s when jets were not multirole and had much less range and endurance.

Not a hogwash.It is based on realistic data and attrition figures.
IAF will have to conduct a lot of CAS and interdiction missions and these missions generally have really have high attrition rates(over 7%,for reference 3% is acceptable,5% is modestly high).
If you ever get a chance then read a book launched by IAF chief ACM AY Tipnis.He had asked for 55 squadrons by 2020 during vajpayee era post Op parakram but they sat on it and nothing happened.

And Chinese have arrived.They may not have the adequate number of airbases today in tibet but in 10-15 years they will have more ALG/Forward airbases and more Mid air refuellers and not to forget 2x more combat capable aircraft than us.Our procurement programs havent gone anywhere in last 10 years and if the new MMRCA drama continues then we will suffer in medium category aircrafts.Our Only hope is Tejas mk2 MWF and Su-30MKI upgrade in short to mid term and AMCA in long term.

 

[aerokan]

This is uninformed view. This govt has ordered 6SSN worth 1lakh crore. Dhanush is already entering service. Atags is in limited series production to iron out kinks. Mk1a contract has been cleared by CCS and development work is continuing with great speed.

Htt 40 is being ordered instead of pilatus. Mpatgm has been given priority over Israeli import.

More akash squadrons have been ordered and qrsam is FasTracked.

This 65 SQ thing is hogwash . That 42 sq thing was formulated in 1960s when jets were not multirole and had much less range and endurance.

6 SSN worth 1 lakh crore ordered in 2015 and a mighty 100 crore was released in 2019.. in a very short span of 4 years.

MK1A contract cleared and money will be released to HAL shortly. HAL can easily manage this money. It only still has to get 13K crore unpaid funds for which interest payments has to be made to suppliers. What is puny 13,000 crores + whatever cost it is needed to build lines for producing MK1A and producing planes (out of 47,000 crores order) to HAL. I don't even understand why this incompetent HAL cannot produce Tejas MK1A without any actual contract signing when their net income per year is a huge 2500 crores (2014 estimate as per wiki). Sure shitty Tejas is not super-duper awesome Rafale to be able to sign first and negotiate later while the work can be done in the background

"being ordered" "given priority" sure works well. What else do we need!!!

"42 sq thing was formulated in 1960" - That's one thing i want everyone to remember without fail. No new assessment made after 1960? Where is the updated threat assessment? Why is everyone still peddling the 1960's non-sense in every article whether by defense journalists or by a good number of folks in positions? If the new assessment is already made recently and if the squadron number requirement is now lower.. then they would have quoted that number. If they are still peddling those old numbers.. by logic it means the requirement is actually much more than 42 squadrons and not getting approval or just plain incompetence.

 

[IndianHawk]

MK1A contract cleared and money will be released to HAL shortly. HAL can easily manage this money. It only still has to get 13K crore unpaid funds for which interest payments has to be made to suppliers. What is puny 13,000 crores + whatever cost it is needed to build lines for producing MK1A and producing planes (out of 47,000 crores order) to HAL. I don't even understand why this incompetent HAL cannot produce Tejas MK1A without any actual contract signing when their net income per year is a huge 2500 crores (2014 estimate as per wiki).

Mk1A production will begin on schedule. Write now development phase is going on with test being done on lsp Tejas. What part of it do you have difficulty with ??

6 SSN worth 1 lakh crore ordered in 2015 and a mighty 100 crore was released in 2019.. in a very short span of 4 years.

You have to make provision in the budget for all upcoming years to take up such a mamooth task. Govt will have to pay for it increasing every year .
Along with 3 S5 class ssbn to be built after arihant class. There are huge committed expenditure.

 

[IndianHawk]

42 sq thing was formulated in 1960" - That's one thing i want everyone to remember without fail. No new assessment made after 1960? Where is the updated threat assessment? Why is everyone still peddling the 1960's non-sense in every article whether by defense journalists or by a good number of folks in positions? If the new assessment is already made recently and if the squadron number requirement is now lower.. then they would have quoted that number. If they are still peddling those old numbers.. by logic it means the requirement is actually much more than 42 squadrons and not getting approval or just plain incompetence.

Good question.
Now when and where has iaf explained what force structure it needs and how? Any force wants to expand itself just like any bureaucracy.
That's not a logical justification.