LCA TEJAS MK1 & MK1A: News and Discussion

[Bleh]

Licence assembly (the majority of which was purely assembling SKD/CKD) with OEM handholding is entirely different to what they are having to do with LCA so I don’t count that in the same category.

Most of it is assembly now too... The making is mostly outsourced to partners.

 

[Marliii]

 

[dumdumdum]

July no FOC deliveries. August no FOC deliveries. I think plan is to surprise pakis in next Balakot like air strike by sending an FOC Tejas squadron which is being kept hidden somewhere.

 

[notaname]

July no FOC deliveries. August no FOC deliveries. I think plan is to surprise pakis in next Balakot like air strike by sending an FOC Tejas squadron which is being kept hidden somewhere.

Sorry OT but can't resist.

 

[samsaptaka]

Somewhat related

The flying test bed for DRDO’s UTTAM AESAR

View attachment 107773

Why can't they have an engine test bed in a similar vein ?

 

[abingdonboy]

Why can't they have an engine test bed in a similar vein ?

The Air India’s 747 will soon be spare, should be seriously considered for this role

 

[Bleh]

 

[Bleh]

July no FOC deliveries. August no FOC deliveries. I think plan is to surprise pakis in next Balakot like air strike by sending an FOC Tejas squadron which is being kept hidden somewhere.

Lol almost... 3 left to build (10 complete, 3 in jigs).

Sab LCA gand me ghusa ke bythe he

 

[abingdonboy]

Lol almost... 3 left to build (10 complete, 3 in jigs).

Sab LCA gand me ghusa ke bythe he

I’m pretty by now metal cutting has long since taken part on all 16 FOC birds

at least 7 have been fully assembled and are sat parked up in a HAL hanger. By the end of the year that’ll be pretty much a whole squadron’s worth (if they don’t start being transferred to Sular)

yes some are being earmarked for MK1A validation activities but it’s beyond bizarre that IAF isn’t taking delivery of the birds, considering they only absorb 3-4 Rafales at a time it’s hard to see them absorbing double digits worth of LCAs

 

[Bleh]

I’m pretty by now metal cutting has long since taken part on all 16 FOC birds

at least 7 have been fully assembled and are sat parked up in a HAL hanger. By the end of the year that’ll be pretty much a whole squadron’s worth (if they don’t start being transferred to Sular)

yes some are being earmarked for MK1A validation activities but it’s beyond bizarre that IAF isn’t taking delivery of the birds, considering they only absorb 3-4 Rafales at a time it’s hard to see them absorbing double digits worth of LCAs

It is for that reason I think the cause of this might be logistical.. we have prepared to accept of all for a long while but this decision (not confirmed, yes) that a FIC Tejas will be transferred to Srinagar was more recent.
Originally the Sword Arms were supposed to to receive Mark1A only.

Also I'm fairly sure they will come with AESA, Astra & Active-countermeasures integrated. All three were reported to be at some degree of the mating process with LCA, you'd remember.

 

[Bleh]

It is for that reason I think the cause of this might be logistical.. we have prepared to accept Rafales for a long while, but this decision (not confirmed, yes) that FOC Tejas will be transferred to Srinagar was more recent.
Originally the 51st sqdn. "Sword Arms" were supposed to to receive Mark1A only.

Also I'm fairly sure these will come with AESA, Astra & active-countermeasures integrated. All three were reported to be at some degree of the mating process with LCA, you'd remember.

Typos fixed

 

[FalconSlayers]

LCA programme created an aeronautical ecosystem in India, we flew a record 5,000 sorties without accident: IAF veteran

Air Marshal (Retd) Philip Rajkumar says without the strong foundation laid by the Tejas programme it wouldn’t have been possible to develop the LCA MK II and later the advanced medium combat aircraft

indianexpress.com

 

[vishnugupt]

LCA programme created an aeronautical ecosystem in India, we flew a record 5,000 sorties without accident: IAF veteran

Air Marshal (Retd) Philip Rajkumar says without the strong foundation laid by the Tejas programme it wouldn’t have been possible to develop the LCA MK II and later the advanced medium combat aircraft

indianexpress.com

What will happen when IAF will take credit of LCA, LCH, HTTP-40 sucess?? How painfully they worked to make them success... Believe me ... We all will die that day laughing hysterically .

"Success has many fathers but failure is orphan." ( सफलता के अनेक पिता होते है लेकिन असफलता अनाथ होती है।)
Slowly and steadily all credit will be stolen by IAF/IA

 

[Spitfire9]

"Success has many fathers but failure is orphan." ( सफलता के अनेक पिता होते है लेकिन असफलता अनाथ होती है।)
Slowly and steadily all credit will be stolen by IAF/IA

I don't see how the credit for LCA can be stolen by IAF. Why do you say that?

From the very first allotment of Rs 560 crore in 1986 to the time when the first carrier landing took place in January 2020, the total amount spent on the project was Rs 14,293 crore. If that is divided by 34 years you get a figure of Rs 420 crore. By investing Rs 420 crore a year, this country has built 17 prototypes including two naval prototypes. We flew 5,000 development sorties without a single accident which is a record. Half that money was invested in India itself in building infrastructure at HAL, private industries and DRDO laboratories. We set up an aeronautical industrial ecosystem in the country for future projects.

If Air Marshal (Retd) Philip Rajkumar has got his facts and figures right, I find that truly remarkable.

 

[mandestiny]

LCA MK2 ready ?

 

[Spitfire9]

Out of curiosity - and if anyone has a view - should India try to export Tejas Mk1A to Sri Lanka?

According to idrw.org, Sri Lanka is interested in boosting defence ties with India as China tightens its grip on Sri Lanka. Would it be a good idea to supply Indian fighters to such a country? I am thinking in terms of preserving the confidentiality of Tejas Mk1A and its systems. I presume India would not want details of Tejas Mk1A leaked to the Chinese.

As China tightens grip, Sri Lanka looks to boost India defence ties – Indian Defence Research Wing

idrw.org

 

[Ghost hale]

Out of curiosity - and if anyone has a view - should India try to export Tejas Mk1A to Sri Lanka?

According to idrw.org, Sri Lanka is interested in boosting defence ties with India as China tightens its grip on Sri Lanka. Would it be a good idea to supply Indian fighters to such a country? I am thinking in terms of preserving the confidentiality of Tejas Mk1A and its systems. I presume India would not want details of Tejas Mk1A leaked to the Chinese.

As China tightens grip, Sri Lanka looks to boost India defence ties – Indian Defence Research Wing

idrw.org

Sri Lanka in economic crisis currently. They also gave new Infra projects to chinese in Northern island groups closer to India even after concerns raised by India. So currently it should be wait and watch.

 

[Bleh]

Out of curiosity - and if anyone has a view - should India try to export Tejas Mk1A to Sri Lanka?

After the LTTE guerrillas were eliminated Srilanka has zero need for a modern fighter, especially Mark1A... they can only maintain few F7 & planning on upgrading their old IAI Kfir instead.
Even if any such order purchase happens it will most probably be IOC Trainer version, just enough for A2G & anti-piracy maritime strikes.

 

[mandestiny]

Is this real ? MK2 ready ?

 

[Covfefe]

Out of curiosity - and if anyone has a view - should India try to export Tejas Mk1A to Sri Lanka?

According to idrw.org, Sri Lanka is interested in boosting defence ties with India as China tightens its grip on Sri Lanka. Would it be a good idea to supply Indian fighters to such a country? I am thinking in terms of preserving the confidentiality of Tejas Mk1A and its systems. I presume India would not want details of Tejas Mk1A leaked to the Chinese.

As China tightens grip, Sri Lanka looks to boost India defence ties – Indian Defence Research Wing

idrw.org

SL is cash strapped right now and would unlikely go ahead with its fighter procurement program. They also awarded a mid-life upgrade contract to IAI for their Kfir AFs. This will upgrade them to 4++ gen which is enough for SLAF.

https://www.iai.co.il/iai-to-upgrade-sri-lanka-air-force-kfir-aircraft

Also, defence ties with India will be highly unlikely due to their domestic politics. It'll be mostly around -"Hey give us some money or we'll shift into China's lap even more"
[Background- The Tamil-Sinhalese discord and India's initial support for minority Tamils against the genocide imposed by Sinhalese, has not gone down well with the majority. And you always have Rajapaksha brothers to complete the cycle of Politics + Corruption. They will eventually side with China despite their loan issues.]