LCA TEJAS MK1 & MK1A: News and Discussion

[WarmongerLSK]

Any news about Tejas's performance in ex. Desert Warrior?

It didn't go, Mirages were sent instead.

 

[MonaLazy]

Any news about Tejas's performance in ex. Desert Warrior?

Ex is still on (27 Feb to 17 March 2023). Wait for it to finish to hear anything.

It didn't go, Mirages were sent instead.

Spoiler: Nope

Spoiler: Exs

 

[WarmongerLSK]

Ex is still on (27 Feb to 17 March 2023). Wait for it to finish to hear anything.

Spoiler: Nope

View attachment 195619

Spoiler: Exs

My bad. Looks like Tejas reached there.

 

[Pazhassiraja]

It didn't go, Mirages were sent instead.

Sorry I meant desert flag.

 

[Ugra Bhairav]

Too Good to be true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If this News is True MRFA been delayed to eternity and much difficult to recover and salvaged.

If true - Congratulation Guys!!!!!!!

it is delayed beyond 2026.

Bye-Bye MRFA !!!!!

 

[Super Flanker]

UFC Panel of LCA Tejas.

 

[samsaptaka]

Would have been great if there was also a roll and dive away move . Yeh dil maange more !

 

[samsaptaka]

Would have been great if there was also a roll and dive away move . Yeh dil maange more !

Sorry, the full length video has precisely what I was looking for. Really cool vid

 

[MonaLazy]

Too Good to be true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If this News is True MRFA been delayed to eternity and much difficult to recover and salvaged.

If true - Congratulation Guys!!!!!!!

it is delayed beyond 2026.

Bye-Bye MRFA !!!!!

That is over-optimistic! If recent pronouncements by IAF are anything to go by they will not give up on MRFA. However, ordering more Mk1A (bird almost in hand is worth several in the bush) makes eminent sense to arrest falling squadron numbers because of slippages in Mk2 schedule, retiring grandpa Mig-21s (60 years in service!), and no idea where the additional 12 Su-30 / 21 Mig-29 orders are.


India plans to make 470 jets, first to roll out in Feb next year

• Updated At: Feb 15, 2023 07:18 AM (IST)

Tribune News Service

Ajay Banerjee
Bengaluru, February 14
India is planning to manufacture 470 fighter jets, with the first one — Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mark-1A — to be rolled out in February next year. The massive project in already underway.

HAL eyes export market
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director CB Ananthakrishnan said HAL was eyeing the export market and vying for orders of Tejas jets from Egypt and Argentina. “In Egypt, we have offered a kind of maintenance programme as well,” he added. TNS

Of the 470 jets, 370 will be for the Indian Air Force while 100 twin-engine jets will be for the Navy.
These 470 jets are separate from 114 jets the IAF wants to manufacture in collaboration with a foreign partner in India.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is producing 83 Tejas Mark-1A jets.
CB Ananthakrishnan, HAL Chairman and Managing Director, said: “We are on schedule to deliver the first jet in February 2024. The manufacturing capacities have been augmented and the delivery of all 83 jets will be ahead of schedule.”
“Delays are a thing of the past. We have sufficient supply chain and delivery capacity,” he added.
Apart from 83 Tejas Mark-1A jets, the project includes 108 Tejas Mark-2 jets, 126 jets of the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) and 100 twin-engine deck-based fighters for the Navy.
HAL estimates that the gap between manufacturing of Tejas Mark-1A and Tejas Mark-2 will be bridged by an additional order of the former. The numbers of additional Tejas Mark-1A jets could be about 50, said sources.
The total of all this adds up to about 470.
All jets after Tejas Mark-1A will use the General Electric’s 414 engine producing 98 kilonewton of thrust.
The indigenous programme is being helmed by the Aeronautics Development Agency (ADA), a lab of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO).
Dr Girish S Deodhare, ADA Director General, said: “LCA Mark-2 development will be completed next year.”
The HAL expressed confidence that the LCA Mark-2 that will have more powerful engines and many upgrades over the existing Tejas, to be made as per schedule with first flight being in mid-2025. For the AMCA, the ADA DG laid out targets. “We are expecting sanction of the Cabinet Committee on Security. The design is in a critical phase,” he said.

Russia Awaits India's Decision On $2.2 Billion MiG-29 And Su-30 MKI Fighter Jets Deal

Russia is awaiting India's decision on a $2

swarajyamag.com

Russia Awaits India's Decision On $2.2 Billion MiG-29 And Su-30 MKI Fighter Jets Deal

bySwarajya Staff-Feb 14, 2023 12:58 PM +05:30 IST

IAF's Sukhoi Su-30 MKI (Pic Via Wikipedia)
Russia is awaiting India's decision on a $2.2 billion deal for purchase of MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI fighter jets, according to a media report.
Rosoboronexport, the Russian state intermediary agency for exports and imports of military products, had received a request from India for the purchase of MiG-29 and Su-30MKI fighters and already sent its counterproposals.
Now the Russian agency is awaiting New Delhi's response, Rosoboronexport's general director Alexander Mikheev told Sputnik News on Tuesday (14 February).
"Rosoboronexport received a request from India on these projects and worked it out promptly. We held relevant consultations and submitted our proposals to our partners. We are currently waiting for their decision," Mikheev was quoted by Sputnik News as saying.
Earlier in July 2020, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had approved a proposal for procurement of 21 MiG-29 fighter aircraft, along with upgradation of 59 Mig-29s, and 12 more Su-30 MKI aircraft for Rs 18,148 crore (around $2.2 billion).
As per the proposal, Sukhoi Su-30 MKI were to be assembled at state-owned aerospace and defense company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The Indian air force operates about 270 fourth-generation Su-30MKI fighters, more than 220 of which are assembled in India under license.

IAF plans to order 50 more LCA Mk1A jets - Livefist

LCA Tejas Mk.1 at Aero India this week Battling its notorious and long-spiralling depletion in fighter aircraft squadron strength, the Indian Air Force is is believed to have firmed up plans to order at least 50 more LCA Tejas Mk1A jets from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. These would be in addition…

www.livefistdefence.com

IAF Plans To Order 50 More LCA Mk1A Jets
February 15, 2023 / By Team Livefist

LCA Tejas Mk.1 at Aero India this week
Battling its notorious and long-spiralling depletion in fighter aircraft squadron strength, the Indian Air Force is is believed to have firmed up plans to order at least 50 more LCA Tejas Mk1A jets from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. These would be in addition to 83 Mk1A jets currently on order as part of $6.5 billion contract signed in February 2021.
The IAF operates two squadrons of the LCA Mk1 in Sulur in southern India, with a total of 40 aircraft across operational capability tiers on order. The Mk1A is a significantly improved iteration of the Tejas that’s better armed, better performing, superior survivability and avionics and crucially easier to maintain and turn around. You can read our detailed piece on improvements the Mk1A brings to the table here. The first LCA Mk1A jets are slated to be delivered to Indian Air Force in the first half of 2024.
Adding numbers to the LCA order book has been obvious option in front of the IAF for years now, though Air Force HQ has preferred to hedge amidst frictions with HAL on production rates and ongoing ambiguity over the faltering MRFA contest, a quest to add 114 foreign fighters from among a stack of seven competitors from the US (F-15EX and F-21), Russia (Su-35 and MiG-35), Sweden (Gripen E), France (Rafale) and Germany (Typhoon).
In this detailed chat two years ago, aviation writer and researcher Angad Singh advocates quick orders of more LCA Tejas variants to bolster numbers on the bumpy road to meaningful force accretion.

In a column in 2019, Livefist founder Shiv Aroor had advocated that it was time for the Indian government to commit resources to getting the LCA inducted in larger numbers to replace legacy fleets like the MiG-21 as quickly as possible. The plans we’re reporting now for expanded Mk1A contracts appear to be in line with that intent.
Given budgetary constraints, it’s unclear if the IAF will commit to the 50 additional LCA Mk1As before most of the 83 from the original 2021 contract are delivered. The IAF has been in extended discussions with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA — the agency effecting the Mk1A improvements) and HAL on the planned additional order. HAL hopes to close a deal for 50 more Mk1As by 2024-25, though there remains little clarity on when that will happen. The original contract for 83 Mk1A jets took eight years to come to fruition. This Livefist tweet from 2013 was from a time before the Mk2 was watered down to an Mk1A variant.

An LCA Mk2 model at the Aero India show this week
The need for additional Mk1As is clearly to minimise timeline risk on the far more capable LCA Mk2 jet that’s expected to be ready for service in the latter half of this decade. The Indian government and IAF have made it clear that the Mk2 will be the truly combat capable iteration of the Tejas. The Indian Air Force has revealed plans to order 108 of the type. The LCA Mk2, currently under a prototype fabrication phase, will be a true blue ‘fourth generation’ fighter, sporting an AESA radar, the more powerful GE F414 engine, canard foreplanes for greater agility and several additional systems across the spectrum of capability, survivability and maintainability.
Finally, and perhaps most anticipated of all, the Indian Air Force has quantified its intended orders — 126 — of the stealth fifth generation fighter AMCA currently under development with a rollout unlikely before the end of the decade. In 2020, Livefist scooped plans for the AMCA to be taken forward as a public-private partnership between HAL and Indian private sector giant Larsen & Toubro.

 

[hit&run]

Please stick to the topic. Cannot delete all the off-topic posts; will be better of issuing thread bans.
Thanks for your cooperation.

 

[MirageBlue]

It didn't go, Mirages were sent instead.

You're mixing it up. Tejas fighters went to Ex Desert Flag VIII. Mirage-2000 I/TIs went to RAF Waddington for Ex Cobra Warrior 2023.

 

[Kuntal]

View attachment 195322

A cleaned up image. Here you can see a notch like structure at wing tip. Maybe a add-on feature for wingtip pylon or maybe an optical illusion. @Kuntal might be indicating this.

Yes. As per my info those are two additional RWR.

 

[Bleh]

Yes. As per my info those are two additional RWR.

Any "weight reduction" happened?.. IMO it was always impossible, but there were some news regarding that.

 

[Corvus Splendens]

 

[Photon]

Why no update from UAE?

 

[jai jaganath]

Why no update from UAE?

What update

 

[rohit b3]

What update

Desert Flag VIII

 

[Flying Dagger]

Any "weight reduction" happened?.. IMO it was always impossible, but there were some news regarding that.

More than the weight it is about refining the production quality.

Let the first one draw out of production facility only then we will have full picture. Until then it's just a guessing game.

 

[WolfPack86]

INDIA'S 4.5 GEN TEJAS MK-1A FIGHTER JET TO TAKE ON THE WORLD MARKET WITH ARGENTINA DEAL NEAR FINALISATION SAYS DEFENCE EXPERT GIRISH LINGANNA
HAL is in advanced discussions with Argentina and Egypt for the sale of its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS MK-1A. Argentina is interested in acquiring at least 15 aircraft, and Argentine pilots have already tested the fighter jet in India


by Girish Linganna

India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is in advanced discussions with Argentina and Egypt for the sale of its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS MK-1A. The acting chairman of HAL, CB Ananthakrishnan, confirmed at the Aero India 2023 event that talks with Argentina are progressing positively, and a small contract is expected soon. Ananthakrishnan said Argentina is interested in acquiring at least 15 TEJAS MK-1A aircraft, and Argentine pilots have already tested the fighter jet in India.

The Indian government signed a contract for 83 TEJAS MK-1A with HAL in 2021, and the delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2024. HAL is working to ensure that the delivery is faster than the contract terms. The manufacturer is focused on executing additional orders for the TEJAS MK-1A and the upcoming TEJAS MK-2.

HAL is also in talks with Egypt to sell 35 TEJAS MK-1A aircraft and establish a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in the country. The proposed facility will aid Egypt’s local defence ecosystem.

Apart from Argentina and Egypt, the Philippines is another country where HAL is soon to sell six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), said Ananthakrishnan. In 2022, the ASEAN member nation signed a contract with India for the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile.

However, HAL has not been able to finalize an export deal with Malaysia, even though the Indian government has admitted that over seven countries have shown interest in procuring its indigenous TEJAS. HAL was shortlisted in Malaysia, but the country is considering South Korea’s FA-50, manufactured by Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), over HAL’s TEJAS. Other competitors in Malaysia included the Sino-Pakistan JF-17, Russian Yak-130, and M-346 from Italy’s Leonardo.

According to sources, the TEJAS MK-1A came with the most advanced features and was preferred over other competitors in Malaysia. Although the South Korean FA-50 is more expensive than what HAL offered, KAI is trying to match HAL’s offer, as reported by Financial Express Online.

The contentious issue of the Falkland Islands has impacted HAL’s efforts to sell its TEJAS MK-1A fighter jet to Argentina. Argentina claims the islands, which the UK controls. The UK actively restricts the sale of defence equipment that carries any part made by a British firm, which has stalled Argentina’s attempts to purchase weapons systems from other countries. In 2020, specific reports claimed that Argentina would award a contract for its JF-17 fighter jets to China, but no official announcement was made.

The TEJAS is a fourth-generation, lightweight, single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft. The aircraft is designed to operate in air-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-sea combat roles. It has been developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by HAL. The TEJAS has been inducted into the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.

The TEJAS MK-1A is an upgraded version of the Tejas Mk1, with additional features such as air-to-air refuelling, advanced avionics, and electronic warfare suites. It is equipped with modern weapons systems, including missiles, bombs, and guns, and has been designed to reduce the pilot’s workload during missions. The TEJAS MK-1A also has an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which provides better situational awareness and target-tracking capabilities.

Overcoming Obstacles: HAL’s Journey To Indigenous TEJAS MK-1A Production

HAL has been working to increase the production rate of the TEJAS MK-1A to meet the IAF’s operational requirements. The current production rate is 8-10 aircraft per year, but HAL aims to increase it to 16. The Indian government has also approved the purchase of 83 TEJAS MK-1A aircraft, which will boost HAL’s production capacity.

However, HAL faces some challenges in ramping up production of the TEJAS MK-1A. One major challenge is the limited supply of critical components, such as engines and avionics, imported from foreign suppliers. To address this issue, HAL has been developing indigenous alternatives to these components, such as the Kaveri engine, which has been under development for over three decades. In addition, HAL has been expanding its network of domestic suppliers to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.

Another challenge for HAL is the need to improve the efficiency of its production processes. To achieve this, the company has implemented various measures, such as using digital technologies to enhance manufacturing processes and adopting lean manufacturing techniques. HAL has also been investing in developing new facilities and infrastructure to support the production of the TEJAS MK-1A.

In addition to meeting the IAF’s requirements, HAL is also looking to export the TEJAS MK-1A to other countries. The aircraft has already generated interest from countries such as Malaysia, Egypt, and Argentina. HAL has been working to obtain the necessary certifications for the TEJAS MK-1A to enable exports to these countries.

The TEJAS MK-1A represents a significant achievement for India’s aerospace industry. The aircraft’s advanced capabilities and indigenous design and production demonstrate India’s growing expertise in aerospace technology. As HAL continues to ramp up production of the TEJAS MK-1A, it will provide a major boost to the IAF’s combat capabilities and strengthen India’s position as a major participant in the global aerospace industry.

India's 4.5 Gen TEJAS MK-1A Fighter Jet To Take On The World Market With Argentina Deal Near Finalisation Says Defence Expert Girish Linganna

HAL is in advanced discussions with Argentina and Egypt for the sale of its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS MK-1A. Argentina is interested...

www.indiandefensenews.in

 

[MirageBlue]

INDIA'S 4.5 GEN TEJAS MK-1A FIGHTER JET TO TAKE ON THE WORLD MARKET WITH ARGENTINA DEAL NEAR FINALISATION SAYS DEFENCE EXPERT GIRISH LINGANNA
HAL is in advanced discussions with Argentina and Egypt for the sale of its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS MK-1A. Argentina is interested in acquiring at least 15 aircraft, and Argentine pilots have already tested the fighter jet in India


by Girish Linganna

India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is in advanced discussions with Argentina and Egypt for the sale of its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS MK-1A. The acting chairman of HAL, CB Ananthakrishnan, confirmed at the Aero India 2023 event that talks with Argentina are progressing positively, and a small contract is expected soon. Ananthakrishnan said Argentina is interested in acquiring at least 15 TEJAS MK-1A aircraft, and Argentine pilots have already tested the fighter jet in India.

The Indian government signed a contract for 83 TEJAS MK-1A with HAL in 2021, and the delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2024. HAL is working to ensure that the delivery is faster than the contract terms. The manufacturer is focused on executing additional orders for the TEJAS MK-1A and the upcoming TEJAS MK-2.

HAL is also in talks with Egypt to sell 35 TEJAS MK-1A aircraft and establish a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in the country. The proposed facility will aid Egypt’s local defence ecosystem.

Apart from Argentina and Egypt, the Philippines is another country where HAL is soon to sell six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), said Ananthakrishnan. In 2022, the ASEAN member nation signed a contract with India for the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile.

However, HAL has not been able to finalize an export deal with Malaysia, even though the Indian government has admitted that over seven countries have shown interest in procuring its indigenous TEJAS. HAL was shortlisted in Malaysia, but the country is considering South Korea’s FA-50, manufactured by Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), over HAL’s TEJAS. Other competitors in Malaysia included the Sino-Pakistan JF-17, Russian Yak-130, and M-346 from Italy’s Leonardo.

According to sources, the TEJAS MK-1A came with the most advanced features and was preferred over other competitors in Malaysia. Although the South Korean FA-50 is more expensive than what HAL offered, KAI is trying to match HAL’s offer, as reported by Financial Express Online.

The contentious issue of the Falkland Islands has impacted HAL’s efforts to sell its TEJAS MK-1A fighter jet to Argentina. Argentina claims the islands, which the UK controls. The UK actively restricts the sale of defence equipment that carries any part made by a British firm, which has stalled Argentina’s attempts to purchase weapons systems from other countries. In 2020, specific reports claimed that Argentina would award a contract for its JF-17 fighter jets to China, but no official announcement was made.

The TEJAS is a fourth-generation, lightweight, single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft. The aircraft is designed to operate in air-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-sea combat roles. It has been developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by HAL. The TEJAS has been inducted into the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.

The TEJAS MK-1A is an upgraded version of the Tejas Mk1, with additional features such as air-to-air refuelling, advanced avionics, and electronic warfare suites. It is equipped with modern weapons systems, including missiles, bombs, and guns, and has been designed to reduce the pilot’s workload during missions. The TEJAS MK-1A also has an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which provides better situational awareness and target-tracking capabilities.

Overcoming Obstacles: HAL’s Journey To Indigenous TEJAS MK-1A Production

HAL has been working to increase the production rate of the TEJAS MK-1A to meet the IAF’s operational requirements. The current production rate is 8-10 aircraft per year, but HAL aims to increase it to 16. The Indian government has also approved the purchase of 83 TEJAS MK-1A aircraft, which will boost HAL’s production capacity.

However, HAL faces some challenges in ramping up production of the TEJAS MK-1A. One major challenge is the limited supply of critical components, such as engines and avionics, imported from foreign suppliers. To address this issue, HAL has been developing indigenous alternatives to these components, such as the Kaveri engine, which has been under development for over three decades. In addition, HAL has been expanding its network of domestic suppliers to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.

Another challenge for HAL is the need to improve the efficiency of its production processes. To achieve this, the company has implemented various measures, such as using digital technologies to enhance manufacturing processes and adopting lean manufacturing techniques. HAL has also been investing in developing new facilities and infrastructure to support the production of the TEJAS MK-1A.

In addition to meeting the IAF’s requirements, HAL is also looking to export the TEJAS MK-1A to other countries. The aircraft has already generated interest from countries such as Malaysia, Egypt, and Argentina. HAL has been working to obtain the necessary certifications for the TEJAS MK-1A to enable exports to these countries.

The TEJAS MK-1A represents a significant achievement for India’s aerospace industry. The aircraft’s advanced capabilities and indigenous design and production demonstrate India’s growing expertise in aerospace technology. As HAL continues to ramp up production of the TEJAS MK-1A, it will provide a major boost to the IAF’s combat capabilities and strengthen India’s position as a major participant in the global aerospace industry.

India's 4.5 Gen TEJAS MK-1A Fighter Jet To Take On The World Market With Argentina Deal Near Finalisation Says Defence Expert Girish Linganna

HAL is in advanced discussions with Argentina and Egypt for the sale of its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS MK-1A. Argentina is interested...

www.indiandefensenews.in

I think once again these so called journalists are jumping the gun. Argentina has to first be able to figure out it's budget. All that would've happened is that the report that was to be submitted to their Ministry of Defence on the actual Tejas capabilities and the offer, that would've been done.

As to Egypt, once again FA-50 is in the lead. They've already signed a MoU with Egypt's AOI.

Egypt confirms agreement to produce South Korean jet trainers