HAL Tejas | Updates, News & Discussions

[satishkumarcsc]

I want to ask that India is getting Rafale with TOT. As you are having TOT, Could it be possible to use Spectra And Sead in the LCA or Is there any agreement with France which prohibits you to do this?. Thanks

No LCA has Mayawi ECM suite and it dosent have the power for something like SPECTRA onboard.

 

[sancho]

I want to ask that India is getting Rafale with TOT. As you are having TOT, Could it be possible to use Spectra And Sead in the LCA or Is there any agreement with France which prohibits you to do this?. Thanks

Rafale deal is just under negotiations, so ammount of ToT, what ToT and with what kind of restrictions still needs to be negotiated yet. The most likely techs that LCA MK2 could get from Rafale are AESA, engine and IRST techs, while SPECTRA is not just a single part and contains many different sensors and features.
SEAD capability is not dependent on SPECTRA, with the required avionics and Kh 31 for example, LCA could do SEAD as well, although I expect MKI and Rafale to be used in this role mainly.

No LCA has Mayawi ECM suite

Which is still a myth, there are only very old infos about such a systems. When you look at more recent news reports or official infos we often see EW systems and sensors from DARE, while nothing hints on Mayavi or any Israeli parts.

 

[Black Widow]

http://www.defence.pk/forums/indian-defence/164829-indian-ferrari-over-hal-airport.html#post2688401

Indian Ferrari over HAL Airport | idrw.org

If you order a Ferrari 458 Italia today, you’ll have to wait up to one year to take delivery of your precious Italian stallion. But Hindustan Aeronautics Limited based in Bangalore, is also Developing something similar at its complex.

No we are not talking about any high end Auto Car, nor any currently been developed by HAL. But we are talking about Indigenous developed Light combat Aircraft (LCA). HAL time frame for delivery of Tejas airframes is very close to Ferrari’s Waiting list, while Ferrari’s Customers are glad to wait for their car to arrive but it’s not the same with Indian air force.

How slow is the production? , well HAL was not able to deliver even a single aircraft for the whole year in 2011 , even with LSP-7 took its first flight in march this year , sources close to idrw.org have informed that LSP-8 will only be ready close to end of this year .

In 2003 IAF had ordered 8 Limited serial production (LSP) aircrafts and new GE engines were delivered by 2006, but first LSP-1 took off only in 2007 with older engines and even after 6 years, HAL has only delivered 6 Airframes (LSP-1/2/3/4/5/7).

Even after Indian air force placed orders for 20 aircrafts in 2005, first Serial Production (SP)-1aircrafts will be handed over to IAF only in 2013.slow rate of production has been often been criticised by Indian air force.

As per sources Problem lies with lack of proper supply chain in manufacturing and many critical components are still been produced under labs rather than production house .since HAL has not been able to start full scale production yet .

HAL few years back even with funds allocated, took its own sweet time to built production facility, which took them more then 2 years basically doing nothing. And even the current production facility is underutilised, since HAL has not been able to recruit enough manpower nor able to develop manufacturing equipments.

At current rate of production HAL will only be able to deliver all 40 Tejas MK-1 only in 2019, last year HAL and ADA had faced Fuel leak issues with LSP aircrafts, which took more 6 months to fix the issues, gradually current LSP aircrafts will be pulled out of Test flights to Fix this issues, since changes has been carried out only in LSP-7 aircraft. Test flights has already hit by delays in carrying out Tier-2 Weapons trials.

ADA is already focussing on Tejas MK-2 now and hopes to have its first flight by 2016 and enter its production by 2019, we can only hope that Tejas MK-2 does face any major issues with its design or structure, which might delay it further.

this is the proper section for it ..:

http://www.defence.pk/forums/indian...ter-unlikely-before-2014-a-2.html#post2688403

Battle-ready Tejas fighter unlikely before 2014
Business Line : Companies News : Battle-ready Tejas fighter unlikely before 2014

The battle-ready version of the country's fighter plane, Tejas, may not emerge before late 2013 or 2014 going by its present pace.

On Friday evening, defence scientists in Bangalore flew yet another improved version of the aircraft to test many indigenously-developed instruments. They reported its 18-minute performance as ‘satisfactory'.

Evidently, much work remains before the fighter matches the Indian Air Force's requirement.

Tejas, when fully flight-ready, is tipped to be the world's lightest. Its story has been snagged by delays, including the US sanctions. An official closely associated with Tejas's progress said LSP-8, the next tweaked version, would not be ready until later this year.

LSP-8 would be the version presented for final certification of CEMILAC, the approving body for fighter aircraft, the official told Business Line. The FOC (final operational or flight clearance) and the green flag to produce them could come in late 2013 or beyond.
Development saga

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has been making all the early pieces of the light combat aircraft (LCA). The defence PSU has an order for the first 40 planes from the IAF. Before that, Tejas must meet all the standards that make it safe and reliable in a war.

In January 2011, Tejas got the initial operational clearance (IOC) with some concessions on milestones. It had not yet met a few yardsticks for the IOC, which allows those outside the ‘lab' — IAF pilots in this case — to try out the plane.

The Defence Minister, Mr A.K. Antony, has described it as the ‘semi-final' stage in its 25-year, Rs 12,500-crore development saga.

In the coming years, the IAF is expected to need over 200 Tejas fighters to replace the MiGs. The Navy is tipped to seek 40 customised variants and has already funded the early variants. The IAF has placed an order with HAL to deliver two batches of 20 aircraft each. One order for Rs 4,000 crore is for Mark I. The other is for a higher-powered Mark II fitted with GE-F404 engines

HAL has said it can bring out ten LCAs a year — or the full complement of 40 around 2018.

The DRDO's nodal body, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), is developing the LCA for the IAF.

DRDO said Friday's flight, piloted by Group Captain K. K. Venugopal, tested the multi-mode radar, the helmet mounted display system, the auto-pilot and the instrument landing system.

“This test flight is significant for the programme, as LSP-7 build standard is close to the IOC standard. Accordingly LSP-7 aircraft, along with LSP-8, will be offered to the IAF for user evaluation trials,” DRDO said in a release.

A production test schedule was used for the first time in an early version.

“This is also the first time the maiden flight of a prototype was not accompanied by the customary ‘chase' (companion) aircraft.” It indicated the level of confidence in the plane, DRDO claimed.

 

[rockstarIN]

LCA-Tejas has completed 1795 Test Flights successfully. (09-Mar-2012).


(TD1-233,TD2-305,PV1-242,PV2-215,PV3-334,LSP1-69,LSP2-200,PV5-36,LSP3-46,LSP4-46,LSP5-68,LSP7-1)

 

[Black Widow]

LCA-Tejas has completed 1795 Test Flights successfully. (09-Mar-2012).


(TD1-233,TD2-305,PV1-242,PV2-215,PV3-334,LSP1-69,LSP2-200,PV5-36,LSP3-46,LSP4-46,LSP5-68,LSP7-1)

Just for newcomers


Technology Demonstrators (TD)
TD-1 (KH2001) - 4 Jan 2001
TD-2 (KH2002) - 6 June 2002

Prototype Vehicles (PV)
PV-1 (KH2003) - 25 November 2003
PV-2 (KH2004) - 1 December 2005
PV-3 (KH2005) - 1 December 2006 - This is the production variant.
PV-4 - Originally planned to be a Naval variant for carrier operations, but now a second production variant.
PV-5 (KH-T2009) - 26 November 2009 - Fighter/Trainer Variant

Naval Prototypes (NP)
NP-1 - Two-seat Naval variant for carrier operations. Rolled out in July 2010.[76] It was supposed to make first flight by mid July 2011.
NP-2 - Single-seat Naval variant for carrier operations.

Currently, 8 LSP series aircraft plus 40 aircraft are on order.
LSP-1 (KH2011) - 25 April 2007. This LCA is powered by F404-F2J3 Engine.
LSP-2 (KH2012) - 16 June 2008. This is the first LCA fitted with F404-IN20 engine.
LSP-3 23 April 2010. The first aircraft to have the Hybrid MMR radar and will be close to the IOC standard.
LSP-4 (KH2014) - 2 June 2010 The first aircraft that was flown in the configuration that will be delivered to the Indian Air Force.[44] In addition to the Hybrid MMR, the aircraft flew with a Countermeasure Dispensing System and an identify friend or foe electronic system
LSP-5 (KH2015) - 19 November 2010 IOC standard with all sensor including night lighting in the cockpit, and an auto-pilot.
LSP-6 - Will be used to increase the Angle of Attack. As well as develop better (Experimental) RAM coating to further reduce its radar signature.
LSP-7 (KH2017) - 09 March 2012. APU intake has been aerodynamically reshaped.
LSP-8 - Will be soon given to IAF for user trials. LSP-8 was supposed to fly in 2011.
SP-1 to SP-40 - Planned to fly by late 2013. The SP-1 and SP-2 will be delivered by March 2012 and handed over to No.45 Squadron (Flying Daggers) that will be based initially in Bangalore, Karnataka.

Look like LSP 6 will be using GE414 engine..

 

[sancho]

Look like LSP 6 will be using GE414 engine..

No, that's still the MK1 with a new FCS to increase the AoA as reported in recent news. But the part of the RAM coating is very interesting, what's the source?

 

[Black Widow]

No, that's still the MK1 with a new FCS to increase the AoA as reported in recent news. But the part of the RAM coating is very interesting, what's the source?

Its just wiki. I am not sure how correct it is.. Sancho can you tell me what is this APU intake?

 

[rockstarIN]

^^Ya there is a news that the intakes has slightly redesigned?

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Its just wiki. I am not sure how correct it is.. Sancho can you tell me what is this APU intake?

APU intake is at the root of the vertical stabiliser.

 

[Black Widow]

^^Ya there is a news that the intakes has slightly redesigned?

Not only news, You can see the difference, Just see the tail section of LSP7, It has closed APU intake , where as other LCA has open. You can see the APU intake on the back of LCA, just where the tail starts...

I got some info on this topic :

APU Airborne Auxiliary Power – Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Air Intake. Duct

For the majority of aircraft with APU's air is used to start the main engines. This air can come from either the bleed air section of the APU (just downstream of the compressor) or from a load compressor attached to the front of the APU.

Either Bleed Air or LC air is sent to the main engine and used to turn an Air Turbine Starter. Not direct injection to the turbine section. The ATS acts like any other starter, it drives a geartrain to spool up the main engine.

The other type of APU uses a generator to supply electricity for Main engine start.l In this case the starter is an accessory drive motor/generator that spools up the main to start and then generates power after reaching N1 light off.

More modern engines are becoming only electric machines. These APU's and Main engine TRU (transformer rectifier units) produce 400 hz ac power so that smaller conductors are routed throughout the AC instead of insulated Stainless ducts. (which are bloody heavy)

The A380 APU now sports 2each 750 kw generators AND load compressor.



LCA with APU intake

In this pic, you can see 4 LCAs, the middle of the bottom three has not APU.

 

[sudhir007]

LCA-Tejas has completed 1796 Test Flights successfully. (12-Mar-2012).
(TD1-233,TD2-305,PV1-242,PV2-215,PV3-334,LSP1-69,LSP2-200,PV5-36,LSP3-46,LSP4-46,LSP5-69,LSP7-1)

from

LCA-Tejas has completed 1795 Test Flights successfully. (09-Mar-2012).
(TD1-233,TD2-305,PV1-242,PV2-215,PV3-334,LSP1-69,LSP2-200,PV5-36,LSP3-46,LSP4-46,LSP5-68,LSP7-1)

 

[sathya]

How does CLOSED APU intake works ?

 

[Black Widow]

How does CLOSED APU intake works ?

I don't think the closed APU has any role to play. May be HAL didn't want the APU now. If you can see the pic above, earlier LCA doesn't come with APU.

The LSP 3,4,5,6 comes with APU, I think the frame was already made, when HAL decided not to keep APU they simply closed the intake.

 

[sancho]

Its just wiki. I am not sure how correct it is.. Sancho can you tell me what is this APU intake?

Besides what you already have found out:

AIRBORNE AUXILIARY POWER UNITS (APU)


Btw, this is not an APU, because it's a part at the external fuel tank, so not related to the engines:

I don't think the closed APU has any role to play. May be HAL didn't want the APU now. If you can see the pic above, earlier LCA doesn't come with APU.

If they didn't wanted the APU anymore, they simply could have deleted it during the production, which reduces some weight and drag, but since they kept it, it looks more like they want to open it if necessary. During flight and when the engine is on, auxiliary power is not needed so the intake can be closed. On the ground and during maintenance, it could be opened again.

 

[sancho]

Let me quote myself here:

Interesting, also this part (green marking) seems to be different too

From BR:

So it's seems to be provisions to integrate the spin chute for the high AoA tests of the LSP 6, comparable to these: