LCA TEJAS MK1 & MK1A: News and Discussion

Mikesingh

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Why we need HAMMER? what about SAAW?
The HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a PGM made by Safran is a modular flexible weapon because it can integrate different types of guidance units and different types of bombs. CEP at 50km is +- 1 meter with IIR seeker and +-10 m for GPS nav, for static as well as moving targets. It is used to destroy hardened bunkers, com centers, armored vehicles in static mode as well as on the move etc.

DRDO's SAAW is a long-range precision-guided anti-airfield weapon, designed to destroy ground targets, such as runways, aircraft hangars, and other reinforced structures like blast pens etc with its Penetration Cum Blast(PCB) warhead and has a standoff range of 100 km. The SAAW with an electro-optical seeker is the first of its class in India.
 

Dessert Storm

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Why we need HAMMER? what about SAAW?
SAAW is a guided bomb (GPS, IIR) using it's ability to glide before homing on to its target. It's a unified structure. HAMMER is a 'kit' that is added to gravity bombs of various sizes to make them precision guided bombs. The guidance available on HAMMER is GPS/Inertial, IIR, Laser guided.
A better comparison would be HAMMER vs SPICE (except SPICE 250, which has similarities to SAAW) because both are guidance kits for gravitational/free fall bombs. Further, SPICE is a glide only kit, whereas HAMMER is a Glide+Propulsion kit.
Because of availability of propulsion, it has higher chances of hitting and less CEP compared to glide only. Further, because of availability of propulsion, it's more suited for hilly terrain or low altitude release compared to glide only kit.
*Specialist pls weigh in on this one.
 

doreamon

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Why we need HAMMER? what about SAAW?
From below article

Hammer does not need to be fired from a height; it just hugs the mountain features, zooms to a height when approaching the target and then destroys it top down at an ninety degree angle with the capacity of last minute target adjustments using three different guidance systems apart from GPS .

That means much better performance in mountanous LAC region . Also difficult for fighter jet to reach required height to release bombs when system like s400 is deployed

 

abingdonboy

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Why we need HAMMER? what about SAAW?
HAMMER and SAAW have little overlap. SAAW will come to LCA soon enough


On the face of it the HAMMER integration move is odd as the IAF paid HEAVILY to integrate SPICE onto the Rafale but then they have also ordered HAMMER for their Rafales.


Further cements my view that the IAF are like spoilt kids that feel like they need to have everything they can buy but in this case they are paying to integrate the HAMMER onto the LCA which *may* make it a little more marketable on the international market- at the very least it validates ADA's point that they can happily integrate any sub-system/weapon the user wants quite easily onto the LCA.

LCA with I-Derby and Hammer, it's a more formidable weapons package than the SU-30 MKI has
 

arnab

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From below article

Hammer does not need to be fired from a height; it just hugs the mountain features, zooms to a height when approaching the target and then destroys it top down at an ninety degree angle with the capacity of last minute target adjustments using three different guidance systems apart from GPS .

That means much better performance in mountanous LAC region . Also difficult for fighter jet to reach required height to release bombs when system like s400 is deployed

well i have a separate Q...we all know that the the Gripen-C abilities are marginally ahead of LCA, right?, sure it has canards that give it higher angle of attack,etc but given the thai Gripen beat the PLAAF J11s recently, makes me wonder if the LCA FOC is capableof the same and that Tejas is an LCA only in name but not exactly, just like AGNI-5 is 'only ' 5000km range missile 😉😉😉...what do u guys say?
 

doreamon

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well i have a separate Q...we all know that the the Gripen-C abilities are marginally ahead of LCA, right?, sure it has canards that give it higher angle of attack,etc but given the thai Gripen beat the PLAAF J11s recently, makes me wonder if the LCA FOC is capableof the same and that Tejas is an LCA only in name but not exactly, just like AGNI-5 is 'only ' 5000km range missile 😉😉😉...what do u guys say?
In a real war scenario figher jets fly in a formation . Fighter jet number and number of shorties ll matter a lot . One on one fair fight hardly happen . Things like topography in both lac and loc matter a lot due to himalaya . For exp how mig 21 was nt detected by f16 due pir panjal .. Any fighter jet can out smart any fighter jet unless it is a generation ahead . And missile defence make things more complex .
 

Dessert Storm

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Further cements my view that the IAF are like spoilt kids that feel like they need to have everything they can buy but in this case they are paying to integrate the HAMMER onto the LCA which *may* make it a little more marketable on the international market- at the very least it validates ADA's point that they can happily integrate any sub-system/weapon the user wants quite easily onto the LCA.
SPICE and HAMMER appear to be similar on the face of it but are different cuz of propulsion available on HAMMER, therefore making it very different from SPICE. HAMMER can be good for low altitude release and for use in hilly terrain for the reason of maneuverability and top hit capability @doreamon .

The integration of more weapon systems will definitely make it more marketable as it's not just the platform that is bought but the weapons package that comes with or the bouquet of weapons that can be tailored by the importing country (the bigger the bouquet, the more attractive it is).
And as you yourself observe, that it shows the willingness and ability on our part to integrate systems from various countries of origin. That also connects to what I said in the para above. The importing country can ask us to integrate weapons from countries keeping in mind their geo-political comfort n that's a big plus.
The only spoiler in the game is the American Engine as consistently brought up by @WARREN SS .
Hope we are able to have a breakthrough on that by the end of this decade.

In my opinion, HAMMER on Tejas is to shore up our deployment on Tibetan Border.

Lastly.... I feel that CATS (once realised) would be the biggest USP of Tejas. The price point at which Tejas + CATS may be available to the prospective buyers would be very attractive. The weapons package would be the icing on the cake.
 

Roland55

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