LCA TEJAS MK1 & MK1A: News and Discussion

[Gyyan]

MK2 is all about the capability enhancement. With 1.5 m longer airframe and 10% more powerful engine, range, payload and other capabilities enhanced significantly over 50%. This is called engineering. It will be a much improved Mirage better in all aspects. Mirage 2000 is even today the most loved and favorite plane of IAF. Mk2 is going to be the mainstay of IAF for a longer time to come even after the arrival of AMCA. It will be a workhorse for IAF.

Since we are getting almost 100 I hope there is a mk1B that inches closer to mk2 standard.
It will be 8 years before the last mk1A will be delivered to IAF after the 97 order is given at 24 aircraft/year rate.
HAL would have some time for trying to get Kaveri on the last squadron which will make the program a success in every aspect.
Even if mk2 becomes workhorse we should still keep squeezing every bit of potential from tejas mk1 program.
Look at Chinese even after creating j20 and j16D and working on a sixth gen program they still were working on j11D which won't even enter production but they came up with something thats currently the peak of what a flanker can be.

 

[standard snowball]

Since we are getting almost 100 I hope there is a mk1B that inches closer to mk2 standard.
It will be 8 years before the last mk1A will be delivered to IAF after the 97 order is given at 24 aircraft/year rate.
HAL would have some time for trying to get Kaveri on the last squadron which will make the program a success in every aspect.
Even if mk2 becomes workhorse we should still keep squeezing every bit of potential from tejas mk1 program.
Look at Chinese even after creating j20 and j16D and working on a sixth gen program they still were working on j11D which won't even enter production but they came up with something thats currently the peak of what a flanker can be.

If a Mk1B ever materialises, these would be the upgrades I'd like to see
1. wide panoramic touchscreen display (similar to AMCA)
2. More powerful Mission Computer optimised for man machine Teaming
3. Helmet Mounted Display Sight (HMDS) instead of HUD
4. A conformal fuel tank (beneath the portside air intake)
5. An EOTS (beneath the portside air intake)

 

[Blood+]

I am Hunter enjoyer. SRAAM go brr

Damn straight!!

 

[MirageBlue]

If a Mk1B ever materialises, these would be the upgrades I'd like to see
1. wide panoramic touchscreen display (similar to AMCA)
2. More powerful Mission Computer optimised for man machine Teaming
3. Helmet Mounted Display Sight (HMDS) instead of HUD
4. A conformal fuel tank (beneath the portside air intake)
5. An EOTS (beneath the portside air intake)

Tejas Mk1 and Mk1A already have the Elbit DASH HMDS. What do we stand to gain by removing the HUD?

Just looking at the F-35 and putting up a wish list isn't right. What specific gains versus the exorbitant cost does the removal of the HUD give?

The whole point of the additional 97 Tejas Mk1A is to allow HAL to build faster than 24 per year, based on the Tejas Mk1A that is in production now. The existing Tejas Mk1A already has a new MC developed, as well as a new DFCC, new air data computers and a new slimmer HUD with a wider angle of display.

A few avionics will be improved (perhaps new HUD, perhaps LAD, perhaps even a side stick), but those will be where it can be taken from the Tejas Mk2 and used on the Tejas Mk1A without extensive re-engineering. But if the development and testing takes too long, it'll beat the purpose of the new order, which is to quickly add numbers till the time the Tejas Mk2 enters production.

I had originally hoped for a small 0.5m fuselage plug to add new fuel tank and possibly space for including the EW suite internally, but that will all be too much work including changes to the FCS, etc.

 

[Bleh]

If a Mk1B ever materialises, these would be the upgrades I'd like to see
1. wide panoramic touchscreen display (similar to AMCA)
2. More powerful Mission Computer optimised for man machine Teaming
3. Helmet Mounted Display Sight (HMDS) instead of HUD
4. A conformal fuel tank (beneath the portside air intake)
5. An EOTS (beneath the portside air intake)

Much more important would be too tri the modified-canopy Tejas that they worked on, but didn't apply on Mark1A for schedule crunch... But the base model can recieve this as mid-life upgrade like Mig-29UPG. More fuel, less drag.

 

[standard snowball]

The existing Tejas Mk1A already has a new MC developed, as well as a new DFCC, new air data computers and a new slimmer HUD with a wider angle of display.

Source ?

 

[abingdonboy]

Since we are getting almost 100 I hope there is a mk1B that inches closer to mk2 standard.
It will be 8 years before the last mk1A will be delivered to IAF after the 97 order is given at 24 aircraft/year rate.
HAL would have some time for trying to get Kaveri on the last squadron which will make the program a success in every aspect.
Even if mk2 becomes workhorse we should still keep squeezing every bit of potential from tejas mk1 program.
Look at Chinese even after creating j20 and j16D and working on a sixth gen program they still were working on j11D which won't even enter production but they came up with something thats currently the peak of what a flanker can be.

At this point I’d rather HAL make them at the fastest rate possible (once contract is received which is still nowhere to be seen), yes add on whatever LRUs can be done with production up and running but above all india needs stable production and 100s of the thing churned out ASAP, iterative development is not the way to go with the state of the project as a whole. I’m sure that like with the SU-30MKIs later tranches will have improvements here and there but not drastically different.

avoid the very Indian military trait of perfect being the enemy of good enough FOR ONCE please

let LCA MK.2 be the baby with all the bells and whistles and then when the MK1/A goes for MLU they can incorporate whatever is swappable

 

[abingdonboy]

The whole point of the additional 97 Tejas Mk1A is to allow HAL to build faster than 24 per year.

agreed with everything you’ve said but have to emphasise this can ONLY happen if the order is placed in the next 2-3 years, come 2026/7 the last MK1A of the 73+10 order will be on the jig, the only way the production gets above 16/yr is if orders are placed during the current production run otherwise come 2026/7 they’ll either have to slow production to avoid shutting the line (as Dassualt have done in years past) or mothball the line as stages go run dry

Also let’s not get too lost in capability chasing- the MK1A is a lot more modular than even the MK1 and it’s LRUs can be swapped out far easier by design so there’s no reason substantial updates can’t be made to the birds as the tech is developed, messing around with the airframe and fundamentals that will require recertification upfront is a sure way to stall deliveries and starve the ecosystem.

 

[assassin162]

https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/angad-uttam-to-replace-imported-systems-in-indigenous-lca-fighter-jets20231015182148

 

[MirageBlue]

Source ?

Read here

Article link

Article link

 

[MirageBlue]

Tejas Mk1A prototype spotted with an Elta 8222 (WB?) SPJ for the first time!

This is one of the most crucial capabilities that was missing from the Tejas Mk1 (at least AFAIK) till now. Massive combat boost with the SPJ in conjunction with the RWR.

 

[Bleh]

Tejas Mk1A prototype spotted with an Elta 8222 (WB?) SPJ for the first time!

This is the issue... Unless the dual reach is here ASAP, it'll carry only one single CCM.

 

[vin bharat mahan]

can anyone tell me...why didnt we add MAWS on our aircrafts?? excpet for rafale all our aircrafts r without MAWS. although we developed helicopter MAWS, pod based MAWS nd other aircraft MAWS before. how can we figure out a IRST (WVR ) bvr missile or manPADS is chasing us without MAWS nd counter it with flairs?? even i think indonesia or thailand (if i m not wrong) added south african MAWS in their su 30. can we figure out enemy IR bvr missiles or man portable ADS chasing us by our infrared sensors (IRST), so we can use flair against it??? or it RAM ji bharose.

 

[HariPrasad-1]

View attachment 225724

If they go for F-16 it will be costly yet a good choice. Tejas can deliver more punch Per penny spend. Jf 17 is a maintenance nightmare with trainer sort of capability and a wastage of money.

 

[HariPrasad-1]

Since we are getting almost 100 I hope there is a mk1B that inches closer to mk2 standard.
It will be 8 years before the last mk1A will be delivered to IAF after the 97 order is given at 24 aircraft/year rate.
HAL would have some time for trying to get Kaveri on the last squadron which will make the program a success in every aspect.
Even if mk2 becomes workhorse we should still keep squeezing every bit of potential from tejas mk1 program.
Look at Chinese even after creating j20 and j16D and working on a sixth gen program they still were working on j11D which won't even enter production but they came up with something thats currently the peak of what a flanker can be.

My Plan for Tejas MK1/ Mk2 shall be this.

MK1 A 54 incremental order (3 Squadron).

MWF Initial order of 54 (3 Squadron).

Subsequently, MWF Mk2 A with Kaveri 75/116-125 KN with frontal stealth and attachable weapon bay. Believe me, it can be a work horse for many air forces for many years and a cost effective solution to many of your requirements. Within next 10 years, we can develop electronics better than what Rafale has today. GAN AESA, ultra long range BVR, Active cancelation system, state of art sensor fusion, Fifth generation equivalent cockpit, top class send off weapons including Brahmons NG, runway denial bombs like SAAW, anti radiation missile like Rudram 1 and its variants, Top class WVRs like Python V, ASHRAM, SR Astra etc. So far as weapon package is concern, It will have more choices than any other for + generation plane in word including European, Russian and Indian systems and possibly American as well. We need to invest heavily on engine (JV) and on electronics. We have a huge pool on research talent in country which need to be exploited fully.

 

[HariPrasad-1]

can anyone tell me...why didnt we add MAWS on our aircrafts?? excpet for rafale all our aircrafts r without MAWS. although we developed helicopter MAWS, pod based MAWS nd other aircraft MAWS before. how can we figure out a IRST (WVR ) bvr missile or manPADS is chasing us without MAWS nd counter it with flairs?? even i think indonesia or thailand (if i m not wrong) added south african MAWS in their su 30. can we figure out enemy IR bvr missiles or man portable ADS chasing us by our infrared sensors (IRST), so we can use flair against it??? or it RAM ji bharose.

Factually wrong. We have our own system named Tarang which is there in MKI and planned in Tejas as well.

 

[NutCracker]

Factually wrong. We have our own system named Tarang which is there in MKI and planned in Tejas as well.

Tarang RWR and MAWS are different.

 

[johnj]

can anyone tell me...why didnt we add MAWS on our aircrafts?? excpet for rafale all our aircrafts r without MAWS. although we developed helicopter MAWS, pod based MAWS nd other aircraft MAWS before. how can we figure out a IRST (WVR ) bvr missile or manPADS is chasing us without MAWS nd counter it with flairs?? even i think indonesia or thailand (if i m not wrong) added south african MAWS in their su 30. can we figure out enemy IR bvr missiles or man portable ADS chasing us by our infrared sensors (IRST), so we can use flair against it??? or it RAM ji bharose.

 

[Gyyan]

can anyone tell me...why didnt we add MAWS on our aircrafts?? excpet for rafale all our aircrafts r without MAWS. although we developed helicopter MAWS, pod based MAWS nd other aircraft MAWS before. how can we figure out a IRST (WVR ) bvr missile or manPADS is chasing us without MAWS nd counter it with flairs?? even i think indonesia or thailand (if i m not wrong) added south african MAWS in their su 30. can we figure out enemy IR bvr missiles or man portable ADS chasing us by our infrared sensors (IRST), so we can use flair against it??? or it RAM ji bharose.

We are getting DC-MAWS for mki in super sukhoi program.
Space is the problem in case of tejas imo.

 

[Bleh]

We are getting DC-MAWS for mki in super sukhoi program.
Space is the problem in case of tejas imo.

Buck vs bang... MAWS is limited by range. You'll invest a lot of money& not get any output unless the missile is being fired with 5km-odd range.
Thus all helos are getting it as they'll need it. For high flying jets only the top-tier will get it