LCA TEJAS MK1 & MK1A: News and Discussion

[HariPrasad-1]

PAF isn't building there jet by there own. Its geopolitics at its best, Chinese will continue to supply them weapons much like what US does, "arms diplomacy". This never ending battle won't come to an end unless we takeover PAK completely, because whosoever comes to power, will ensure that our north or god-damn whole country be in flames constantly, so that they will continue to milk there military industrial complex.

Yes, we are goodness-darn late, but with newer avionics, I can bet JF-17 would be a nice target practice.
We have a radar that can do SAR, there B3 (correct me if I am wrong) can't do even passive SAR, and our UTTAM can do active SAR.

What we lack is armaments, PL-10E and PL-15 are there, its now a reality that our piolets have to face if they were called in to hammer them. So it up to DRDO to build a VLR-A2A with a NEZ of much like Meteor quickly. Because a 200 JF 17 can give terrorist-state to wet-dream again of Gwaza-e-hind, atlhough we all know its a deterrence measure.

I would like to quote our past air chief marshal words here once he gave an interview to a fairly shitty interview back then post balakot incident, he said in his excessive hubris,

"Humare pass 200 MKIs hai, agar PAK airspace key uper sai guzar gaye to pura PAK would be in flames".

Now, they will have 200 in strength, will be a good deterrence, because if we were to war-fight them in future, say we hit them first, they will do again a "swift-fart" then they can damage our Northern Sectors very much, or make them completely useless, because we can't turnaround 200 fighters at North that fast.

Not 200 but over 270 MKIs we have.

 

[SARTHAK]

Not making any sense, considering rf sensor is on [end game] and considering mountains. in terrain - ok.

meteor has loal capability as well which can help in cold launch,and avoid easy detection

 

[HariPrasad-1]

I came to know that Tejas has 8 hardpoints and Su30 has 12 given that Tejas is much smaller in my opinion it beats su30 mki here as well

Because Tejas is a much modern aircraft and too much optimization has gone into it. Modern aircrafts like Tejas and Gripen delivers big punch when compared to their counterparts. For example Tejas Mk2 is designed to carry 6.5 ton payload with 58 kn dry and 98 kn Afterburner engine. These figures are mind boggling and much higher than the planes like J10 which has 40 pc higher thrust engine. These are engineering wonders.

 

[abingdonboy]

ADA and HAL are not at all obsessed with medium weight category aircraft.
In the past 20 years, IAF inducted 272 Su30 MKI which represent about 15 squadrons of the IAF, making it a top heavy air force.
Now, the obvious downsides to such a force is that those heavy fighters are maintenance intensive and cost a shit ton of money when its airborne and also has a big RCS.
Rather, if you look at the USAF and the PLAAF, their Hi-Lo mix consists of the heavy weight fighter in limited quantities coupled with a light-to-medium weight fighter aircraft in much more numerous quantities.
Given the budget constraints, its better to invest in light and medium weight fighter aircraft which cost less to fly per hour and can be acquired in far greater nos.
The Tejas Mk2 is the perfect recipe to balance out a top heavy IAF.
Also, over the coming decade, IAF will be retiring its fleet of Mirage 2000, Mig 29 UPG and Jaguar, almost 200 fighters, which will need a suitable medium weight category aircraft.
Moreover, the Su30 MKI isn't really that old and its upgrade program will only increase its longevity, I expect the Su30 MKIs to begin retiring only by the 2nd half of 2040s, so it gives ADA enough time to design and develop a heavy category fighter aircraft and for HAL to build it.

Size is also a limitation, the packaging of the LCA is incredibly complex and there’s no excess internal space to add additional features hence they have to be externally mounted. Also internal fuel quantity isn’t particularly great for LCA

The IAF wanted LCA to fit into the infrastructure of the MiG-21 hence a lot of compromises had to be made, the MK.2 addresses this to a large degree.

Myopia of the highest degree. I don’t know why everything has to be ‘light’- ALH, LCH, LUH, LCA etc etc. Being the lightest is nothing to brag about, capabilities are what counts.

a Rafale class medium fighter is probably the ideal fighter size hence why AMCA and TEDBF are in that ballpark.

 

[johnj]

meteor has loal capability as well which can help in cold launch,and avoid easy detection

avoid easy detection - only rafale and f35 capable of silent launch using enemy rf radiation. Rest need aew, enemy knows.
meteor has loal capability as well which can help in cold launch - great, iaf need to buy more aew
Mountains- enemy can hide multiple times. [rf sensor of meteor not jet]

 

[LakshmanPST7]

AMCA will replace Su-30s. As stated by Guru Kota in HT Ep-3.

LCA TEJAS MK1 & MK1A: News and Discussion

IAF dropping Tejas MK2 Must be the phoren lobby at work, sensing the high stakes $30B MRFA game slipping away. Most recently confirmed by Dr Kota himself in Hamara Tejas ep. 3: Take-aways: LCA Mk2 is ready- should come out after final review (which means, as planned, 2022 rollout and...

defenceforumindia.com

Current AMCA timeline is as follows:-
AMCA Mk1 will be ready for production by 2030... IAF commited orders for 2 squadrons... They'll be delivered from 2033 to 2037...
AMCA Mk2 will be ready for production by 2034... IAF commited orders for 4 squadrons... They'll be delivered from 2037 to 2044...
These 6 squadrons of AMCA were meant to take the total squadron numbers to 42...

If IAF want to replace earlier batches of Su30s with AMCA, that would mean IAF squadron strength will continue to be around 36 squadrons for the next 30 years or so...

Anyways, later batches of Su30s will need replacement starting from early 2050s... That is 30 years from now... There will definitely be a new fighter jet program for Su30 replacement...

 

[johnj]

https://www.saab.com/markets/india/...r-india/what-metor-capability-means-for-india check here

''while the missile glides at the speed of up to mach 4. Unlike the rocket-powered-engine missiles, Meteor saves up enough energy to make its critical attack while at its highest energy state. This gives it an edge while engaging highly agile targets. Furthermore, the two-way data link capability of Meteor allows the fighter to target and re-target the missile even after it has been launched, making it almost impossible for the pilot to miss a hit ''
1.the missile glides at the speed of up to mach 4
2. gripen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
both efj and gripen having two way and rafale having one way with meteor. Rafale having two way data link with mica.
''Meteor allows the fighter to target and re-target the missile even after it has been launched, making it almost impossible for the pilot to miss a hit'' - one way data link with re-target capability.
In two way- missile give data/info to aircraft. and re-target capability, loal.

 

[Chandragupt Maurya]

Because Tejas is a much modern aircraft and too much optimization has gone into it. Modern aircrafts like Tejas and Gripen delivers big punch when compared to their counterparts. For example Tejas Mk2 is designed to carry 6.5 ton payload with 58 kn dry and 98 kn Afterburner engine. These figures are mind boggling and much higher than the planes like J10 which has 40 pc higher thrust engine. These are engineering wonders.

Few years ago there was some news that DRDO is gonna try making an engine and a radar to replace the existing ones in Su30mki

 

[SARTHAK]

''while the missile glides at the speed of up to mach 4. Unlike the rocket-powered-engine missiles, Meteor saves up enough energy to make its critical attack while at its highest energy state. This gives it an edge while engaging highly agile targets. Furthermore, the two-way data link capability of Meteor allows the fighter to target and re-target the missile even after it has been launched, making it almost impossible for the pilot to miss a hit ''
1.the missile glides at the speed of up to mach 4
2. gripen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
both efj and gripen having two way and rafale having one way with meteor. Rafale having two way data link with mica.
''Meteor allows the fighter to target and re-target the missile even after it has been launched, making it almost impossible for the pilot to miss a hit'' - one way data link with re-target capability.
In two way- missile give data/info to aircraft. and re-target capability, loal.

2 way datalink has NOTHING to do with aircraft it is feature of missile

 

[SARTHAK]

2 way datalink has NOTHING to do with aircraft it is feature of missile

i got the source its one way for rafale,actually there r two versions of meteor

 

[johnj]

2 way datalink has NOTHING to do with aircraft it is feature of missile

data link is a feature for both missile and jet.

 

[Kuldeepm952]

meteor has loal capability as well which can help in cold launch,and avoid easy detection

What do you mean by it exactly.
Every fox 3 missile is guided through mid course by keeping track of the target with own radar and through own missile seeker in end game. Any decent plane with RWR will be getting pings that you are being tracked and that's more than enough what you need to know. Every fox 3 missile has LOAL capability.
What meteor provides is better kniematics, better parameters and network connectivity between launch aircraft and missile and what you are referring to is LOAL capability is in end phase in the sense that missile has still propulsion to steer missile towards another target.

 

[SimplyIndian]

IAF commited orders for 2 squadrons of AMCA... They'll be delivered from 2033 to 2037...

AMCA Mk2 will be ready for production by 2034... IAF commited orders for 4 squadrons... They'll be delivered from 2037 to 2044...

That means 1 Squadron ( 18 planes) per 2 years.

Why we are so pessimistic, we are in 2022, can't GOI build mega assembly line churning out 40 to 50 AF per year on top of what we have.

IMO with the kind of economic progress we are doing funds won't be a problem for defense.

Let us have 100 AF per year capacity not less. We have a blue water navy to support as well.

 

[SGOperative]

Till few years ago, MiG-21 was BACKBONE of Imported Air Force. Therefore, what's your logic against Tejas ?

Please enlighten Desi FanBoys like me with some example of prominent Air Forces (P-5 / G-20 nations) having 3 types of fighters based on :
1) Light 2) Medium & 3) Heavy definition of IAF.

As far as I know, combat aircraft compositions of prominent Air Forces are as following:
United States Air Force
Heavy: Earlier F-15 variants and now F-22A Raptor
Light: Earlier F-16 variants and now F-35A Lightning
Russian Air Force
Heavy: Su-27 variants
Light: MiG-29 variants
Chinese Air Force
Heavy: Su-27 variants, Shenyang J-11 & J-16 (Chinese variants of Su-27), Chengdu J-20
Light: Chengdu J-7, J-8 & J-10
British Air Force
Heavy: Eurofighter Typhoon
Light: F-35B Lightning
French Air Force
Medium-1: Rafale variants
Medium-2: Mirage variants

Now, bestow your valuable knowledge on ignorant Desi FanBoys.

Are you sure you are not mixing high low combo with Heavy Light?
The ROK Airforce has three categories of planes light, medium and heavy similar to ours.
Light- FA50, F5
Medium- F35 and F16
Heavy- F15

 

[HariPrasad-1]

Few years ago there was some news that DRDO is gonna try making an engine and a radar to replace the existing ones in Su30mki

There was a news of making Desi Al31 called ganga. 1200+ TR module AESA is planned for Mkisuper sukhoi.

 

[Chandragupt Maurya]

There was a news of making Desi Al31 called ganga. 1200+ TR module AESA is planned for Mkisuper sukhoi.

Su30mki with Indian radars can integrate meteor
mbda can not allow integration of meteor with Russian radar but they may allow if su30mki has indian radars

 

[Whitecollar]

Su30mki with Indian radars can integrate meteor
mbda can not allow integration of meteor with Russian radar but they may allow if su30mki has indian radars

We do have 398km R-37 missiles for our AWACS destroying needs...how many numbers is still unknown.

 

[Shekhar Singh]

Su30mki with Indian radars can integrate meteor
mbda can not allow integration of meteor with Russian radar but they may allow if su30mki has indian radars

There will be SFDR (Astra mk3) missile.

 

[LakshmanPST7]

That means 1 Squadron ( 18 planes) per 2 years.

Why we are so pessimistic, we are in 2022, can't GOI build mega assembly line churning out 40 to 50 AF per year on top of what we have.

IMO with the kind of economic progress we are doing funds won't be a problem for defense.

Let us have 100 AF per year capacity not less. We have a blue water navy to support as well.

I assumed production rate of 12 jets per year for AMCA... I don't think it will be more than this unless IAF orders beyond 6 squadrons...

A lot of factors will decide production capacity like order numbers, Absorption rate of IAF etc....
IAF can not absorb 50 new AMCAs every year... AMCA won't be simple transition of existing squadrons... It will be addition to existing squadrons... You need to induct and train additional pilots and ground support crew...

And no one around the world will give production rate of 50 for an order book of 40+80 jets... That is not how it works...

 

[dude00720]

Any news on the MK1A production? I believe it is 1 year since purchase order was given by Govt.

Lots of vultures are waiting to sabotage.