LCA Tejas Mk 2 to fly by 2014, Mk 1 not yet developed!
Posted by vkthakur on Sunday, July 26, 2009 (EST)
Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has issued a RFP for the supply of 99 engines with thrust in the 95-100 KN to power Tejas LCA Mk 2, which the agency hopes will fly in 2014. Photo Credit: ADA
July 26, 2009, (Sawf News) - Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has issued a RFP for the supply of 99 engines with thrust in the 95-100 KN to power Tejas LCA Mk 2, which the agency hopes will fly in 2014.
The RFP is being sent to just two contenders: General Electric (GE) for the F414 engine and Eurojet for the EJ200 engine. They are required to submit their proposals by October 12.
The RFP indicates an initial procurement of 99 engines with an optional follow-up up for 49 more. The initial batch of engines will be procured directly from the manufacturer with the rest being assembled at HAL (inevitably!)
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project was sanctioned in 1982 with a budget of Rs 560 crore to develop a state-of-the-art F-16 class fighter aircraft to replace IAF's MiG-21 fighters.
Close to Rs 6,000 crore have since been spent but the aircraft, rechristened as Tejas, still remains under development.
The aircraft is currently being tested with a substitute engine (F404-GE-IN20) and makeshift avionics package.
The LCA was designed around the Kaveri engine that DRDO's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) has been developing since 1989. The Kaveri engine has so far burnt more cash ($400 million) than fuel. The power plant is grossly overweight and does not have the 21,000-22,500lb of thrust (93-100kN) that the IAF requires.
To make matters worst, the LCA is 1.5 tons heavier than envisaged. As a result its thrust to weight ratio and maneuverability are dismal. Its aerial display at Aero India 2009 was uninspiring.
In September 2008, realizing that the Kaveri engine was better suited to power ships (Seriously, there is a proposal!) than fighter aircraft, ADA announced plans to issue a RFP for a more powerful engine in the 95-100 kilo Newtons (kN) range.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, ADA has taken a year to issue the RFP. ADA officials tell The Hindu that the delay was caused because HAL butted in to say they would assemble the engines. ADA, already embarrassed by project delays was keen to procure all of them off the shelf.
Though the RFP stipulates only assembly, not license manufacture, HAL is keen to work on manufacturing technologies such as single crystal blade and blade cooling that will come with these engines. HAL of course has nothing to show as achievements for all the fighter engines that it has assembled in the past.
Eurojet is trying to steal the march over GE by promising that an Indian entity can join them "as a partner" in designing modifications/ improvements to the EJ200.
The Tejas will need to be redesigned to accommodate the larger engine probably triggering another weight spiral.
In October 2008, Defense Minister A K Antony announced that the country would purchase a total of 140 Tejas aircraft to form seven fighter squadrons of the IAF.
The initial 40 Tejas aircraft will be powered by the GE 404. Subsequent aircraft will be powered by the Kaveri replacement.
It is unlikely that anyone involved with the LCA – IAF, ADA, HAL or even the Defense Minister – believes that there will ever be seven Tejas squadrons, but everyone is playing along. Like the Marut, developed in the 1960s, the LCA will enter into limited squadron service for 5-10 years before being placed in parks at city centers, schools and museums.
Incidentally, click on the "Tejas LCA" link in the left sidebar. It will take you to one of the most popular article on this blog that I wrote in 2004. I am repeating pretty much what I said then for which I got panned. I will probably get panned for saying it again, thanks to you DRDO "patriots."
Posted by vkthakur on Sunday, July 26, 2009 (EST)
Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has issued a RFP for the supply of 99 engines with thrust in the 95-100 KN to power Tejas LCA Mk 2, which the agency hopes will fly in 2014. Photo Credit: ADA
July 26, 2009, (Sawf News) - Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has issued a RFP for the supply of 99 engines with thrust in the 95-100 KN to power Tejas LCA Mk 2, which the agency hopes will fly in 2014.
The RFP is being sent to just two contenders: General Electric (GE) for the F414 engine and Eurojet for the EJ200 engine. They are required to submit their proposals by October 12.
The RFP indicates an initial procurement of 99 engines with an optional follow-up up for 49 more. The initial batch of engines will be procured directly from the manufacturer with the rest being assembled at HAL (inevitably!)
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project was sanctioned in 1982 with a budget of Rs 560 crore to develop a state-of-the-art F-16 class fighter aircraft to replace IAF's MiG-21 fighters.
Close to Rs 6,000 crore have since been spent but the aircraft, rechristened as Tejas, still remains under development.
The aircraft is currently being tested with a substitute engine (F404-GE-IN20) and makeshift avionics package.
The LCA was designed around the Kaveri engine that DRDO's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) has been developing since 1989. The Kaveri engine has so far burnt more cash ($400 million) than fuel. The power plant is grossly overweight and does not have the 21,000-22,500lb of thrust (93-100kN) that the IAF requires.
To make matters worst, the LCA is 1.5 tons heavier than envisaged. As a result its thrust to weight ratio and maneuverability are dismal. Its aerial display at Aero India 2009 was uninspiring.
In September 2008, realizing that the Kaveri engine was better suited to power ships (Seriously, there is a proposal!) than fighter aircraft, ADA announced plans to issue a RFP for a more powerful engine in the 95-100 kilo Newtons (kN) range.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, ADA has taken a year to issue the RFP. ADA officials tell The Hindu that the delay was caused because HAL butted in to say they would assemble the engines. ADA, already embarrassed by project delays was keen to procure all of them off the shelf.
Though the RFP stipulates only assembly, not license manufacture, HAL is keen to work on manufacturing technologies such as single crystal blade and blade cooling that will come with these engines. HAL of course has nothing to show as achievements for all the fighter engines that it has assembled in the past.
Eurojet is trying to steal the march over GE by promising that an Indian entity can join them "as a partner" in designing modifications/ improvements to the EJ200.
The Tejas will need to be redesigned to accommodate the larger engine probably triggering another weight spiral.
In October 2008, Defense Minister A K Antony announced that the country would purchase a total of 140 Tejas aircraft to form seven fighter squadrons of the IAF.
The initial 40 Tejas aircraft will be powered by the GE 404. Subsequent aircraft will be powered by the Kaveri replacement.
It is unlikely that anyone involved with the LCA – IAF, ADA, HAL or even the Defense Minister – believes that there will ever be seven Tejas squadrons, but everyone is playing along. Like the Marut, developed in the 1960s, the LCA will enter into limited squadron service for 5-10 years before being placed in parks at city centers, schools and museums.
Incidentally, click on the "Tejas LCA" link in the left sidebar. It will take you to one of the most popular article on this blog that I wrote in 2004. I am repeating pretty much what I said then for which I got panned. I will probably get panned for saying it again, thanks to you DRDO "patriots."