LCA is probably the most under rated jet development in history from 1950-till date timeline
Most ppl feel it is delayed and is incapable.
BUT
ppl forget to see how the primary user has kept the benchmark of its acceptance in a manner that is high/very high for other jets developed by other nations and users.
Over time its gonna be mass produced like or not.. The best part is LCA is a secondary role interceptor or CAS type where primary beeline is tried tested platforms....
If any adversary does manage to slip past those platforms net, this little pocket rocket will present a very challenging proposition which will suck the pilots every iota of will power, knowledge and situation analysis on a real time basis...
JF17s comparision is again a complete wrong way as its use is somewhat more as the backbone of PAF.
JF17 in true sense needs to first bother about the Su30 MKI, Mig29s, Jags, Mirages,etc and finally going pass through everyone of them will finally meet LCA. Unfortunately in combat, you drop air tanks asap the moment you plan to engage (BVR is a dream as in real situation the distance between both countries almost nullify the rcs values and so called BVR engagement and missile locking scenarios especially bcz at long range the missile pk and energy both will dwindle down too rapidly). With a engine derivative of Rd93 - RD 33 has descent specs. SFC of 0.74 dry and afterburn 2.004 (lb/lbfhr) (
Military Turbojet/Turbofan Specifications
For internal fuel capacity for 2300 ish Kgs or say round figure 5200 Lbs means ewithout any more refueling is (0.74x5200) = 3848 Lbs of fuel consumed per hour in dry thrust and with 5200 pounds tank the effective time range is 1.35h max before not a single drop left so effective time for a round trip one side will be 0.6-0.7 hrs max.. Per hour speed at 0.85 mach means 1050 kmsph so a range of 630 kms BUT since you are trying to outsmart and out maneuver post dropping the tanks and escaping the net of IAF frontline, the dry and wet thrust combination would put the effective combat radius to around 378-400km (assuming 60% max) for safe return. Now if we assume you engage LCA while coming in such a scenario, the situation becomes even more dismissal as SFC would make your time of operations shrink even more quickly and not going higher speed (higher consumption) would make you sitting ducks. (of course exceptional pilots may survive out of such combats too and some may convert the bird to free dropping bomb trucks over airbases or strategic targets too)
Yes a interception mission may see them face off close to border but the moment its identified to be inside our airspace and as hostile besides LCA other bases would also sortie and again it becomes from just LCA vs JF17 to a swam vs JF17.
Thus, the whole analysis is a bit far fetched as per me. The figures i used are in public domain but are approximate in nature so perhaps some changes are possible but i am sure you folks would get what i wanted to say in gist form. LCA vs JF17 only after every other adversary on air is outsmarted/outmatched.... Lots of luck, exceptional pilot and many extreme factors needed for that scenario..
