HAL Tejas | Updates, News & Discussions

[su-47]

probably a cheap drone

 

[bhangra12345]

As far as I know, no radar has yet been integrated in lca, so no target acquistion

so basically he was shooting for the stars.

 

[KENT]

BANGALORE: The programme to weaponise the indigenous fly-by-wire Light Combat Aircraft Tejas crossed a major milestone on Thursday with a close air combat missile being flawlessly test-fired from the aircraft.

Taking off from INS Hansa, the Naval air station in Vasco (Goa), Prototype Vehicle 1 piloted by the Chief Test Pilot of the National Flight Test Centre Group Captain N Harish, reached an altitude of 6.5 km and a speed of 0.6 mach before the R73 E Russian-made missile was fired in “the autonomous mode” from the aircraft’s left wing tip.

The firing of the ‘find, fire and forget’ air-to-air missile also demonstrated the health and handling of the aircraft during the actual firing, the dealing of unwanted frequencies that occur not just during flutter disturbances and while pulling through G, but even when a missile leaves the aircraft, effects of missile plume on engine air-intake and on composite structures like the wing surface, and missile separation aspects. The structural test proved the successful mating and circuitry between the aircraft and the missile.

However being unguided, the firing was not an accuracy test, there being no target. Also with the missile test-fired in the safest speed and part of the flying envelope, operational clearances will now have to be undertaken at the corner points of the envelope, at low speed-low altitude, low speed-high altitude, high speed-low altitude, high speed-high altitude and under high G conditions.

Speaking to The Hindu minutes after the successful firing, P.S. Subramanyam, Programme Director of the LCA programme, said that the firing of the missile was a clear indication that India is now capable of integrating missiles to a fighter aircraft. “The multi-organisational and multi-dimensional integration and firing of the missile involved aspects such as structures, aerodynamics, flight mechanics, avionics, general systems and propulsion. The LCA team supported by the Indian Air Force, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, National Aerospace Laboratories, other defence public sector enterprises, the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification have all partnered to demonstrate this integration capability.”

According to Mr. Subramanyam, the autonomous firing of the missile, which was a first for the country, was achieved in the face of great odds.

“Three years ago we were told by the (missile’s) vendor that we will not be able to do it on our own and that only they could demonstrate it for us. They were also not prepared to share information on it. The knowledge that we have now gained will give us the confidence to integrate any missile on any fighter aircraft.”

The next major step is target acquisition and fire control which will however take off only after the multi-mode radar (MMR) is fitted on the aircraft.
The MMR which is being developed with key components from the Israelis could be fitted before the end of the year.

Drop tanks which will enhance the Tejas’ endurance capabilities have been fitted but having sprung a leak they are currently non-operational.

The Rs. 5,500 crore LCA programme has so far undertaken 763 flights, but is still some distance away from its initial and final operational clearances.

 

[Titanium]

Cross posted
Have the IAF, Accepting LCA with with lower performance than set out in ASR?

The LCA is already flying with dummy missiles

Air Marshal Nak Brown will head the IAF’s team


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Bangalore: The three players most tied up with the Tejas, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme – the user (the Indian Air Force), the designer Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and the manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) – will come together on Saturday for their monthly review meeting. But this month’s Bangalore meeting will be anything but routine.

On the flying front, the LCA’s PV-1 (prototype vehicle) is expected to undertake its first low speed taxi run after the integration of drop tanks. The low speed taxi run where the aircraft is pushed to almost its take-off speed but does not actually take off, is the prelude to the actual first flight with drop tanks.

The drop tanks are expendable and jettisonable external fuel tanks carried by the aircraft giving it longer endurance and range, enabling pilots to fly longer. An important milestone for the LCA programme, the first flight with drop tanks could happen next week. A successful run with drop tanks will enable ADA to move into the LCA’s weaponisation programme, where the R 73 air-to-air missile and bombs will be integrated onto the aircraft. The LCA is already flying with dummy missiles.

But it will be issues on the ground that will take centre stage. With questions over the LCA’s combat performance especially climb, acceleration and how fast it could turn at certain altitudes having cropped up during the recent sea trails at Arakonnam, a detailed assessment of what can be managed within the time frame will have to be undertaken. Sources said the IAF would have to be asked to lower certain aspects of their air staff requirements for the LCA, which at the moment were unrealistic.

According to the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Chief Controller Research and Development (Aeronautics and Material Science) D. Banerjee, there is no doubt that the aircraft and engine have to improve, but any improvements will have to suit the time frame.

“The IAF will have to be asked how many aircraft they take with the current performance.”

Dr. Banerjee under whom ADA functions, told The Hindu that improvements can be made to the aero dynamism of the aircraft by ‘technical cleaning’ to remove drag, and also improving the LCA’s propulsion system.

 

[Flintlock]

The article is pure speculation.

We don't know what the original demands of the IAF were, so we can't comment on the "lowering of certain aspects" either.

The article clearly indicates that further versions will offer improved performance, but given the timeframe, it will not be possible to incorporate too many improvements into the current version.

 

[Titanium]

The article is pure speculation.

We don't know what the original demands of the IAF were, so we can't comment on the "lowering of certain aspects" either.

The article clearly indicates that further versions will offer improved performance, but given the timeframe, it will not be possible to incorporate too many improvements into the current version,

I understand your reaction to any news not to your likings, it is old excuse and full in the forum.

Am just enquiring whether IAF is going ahead with whatever present performance available with LCA?

Sure further version will improve, as like our processor speed improves every six month

 

[Flintlock]

I understand your reaction to any news not to your likings, it is old excuse and full in the forum.

Am just enquiring whether IAF is going ahead with whatever present performance available with LCA?

Sure further version will improve, as like our processor speed improves every six month

Well there are 2 ways to look at this news, and l'd say that the positive way is more dependable, considering the amount of media speculation and "expert opinions" that always follow any defence equipment.

A great example is the Osprey, newly inducted in to the US army. This aircraft has claimed over 30 lives in test flights and is being torn apart in the media.

However, the people who operate the aircraft seem to love it.....so I'd go with them rather than channels like Fox news and bogus experts.

 

[Titanium]

A great example is the Osprey, newly inducted in to the US army. This aircraft has claimed over 30 lives in test flights and is being torn apart in the media.

However, the people who operate the aircraft seem to love it.....so I'd go with them rather than channels like Fox news and bogus experts.

I would second that..... graet irony!, Is'n it?

The people who matter here is the one who use it( Salute to USAF for backing Spray and paying through their lives...great system). But here with India it is complete opposite

IAF does not want LCA, unless to their specification but, what did you used, ya bogus expert shove it down their throat with less than the agreed specs.

Indian Army is crying from 1995, that they don't want Arjun MBT, but every year they have to have mandatory trail of Arjun only to find out it is not suitable.

What should we do to media and Bogus expert, not lisenting to the men who matter

 

[Bull]

Cross posted
Have the IAF, Accepting LCA with with lower performance than set out in ASR?

IAF might have asked for F-35 stealth!!!

 

[Bull]

I would second that..... graet irony!, Is'n it?

The people who matter here is the one who use it( Salute to USAF for backing Spray and paying through their lives...great system). But here with India it is complete opposite

IAF does not want LCA, unless to their specification but, what did you used, ya bogus expert shove it down their throat with less than the agreed specs.

Indian Army is crying from 1995, that they don't want Arjun MBT, but every year they have to have mandatory trail of Arjun only to find out it is not suitable.

What should we do to media and Bogus expert, not lisenting to the men who matter

Very true Titanium!!! Happy.

 

[Flintlock]

The people who matter here is the one who use it( Salute to USAF for backing Spray and paying through their lives...great system). But here with India it is complete opposite

Well, actually its the Congress which backed the Osprey,and Cheney wanted to halt the project. The US army doesn't seem to happy either...they are complaining about the changes required in the SOPs and the specific kinds of environments it cant be used.
However, the pilots themselves say it offers great advantages.

IAF does not want LCA, unless to their specification but, what did you used, ya bogus expert shove it down their throat with less than the agreed specs.

Huh? IAF wants LCA...badly. LCA is the best aircraft to make the backbone in the future.

They offer fantastic performance for their class.

In addition, they are lightweight, easy to manufacture and repair, low maintenance, and cheap.

They obviously cannot match up to the Sukhois, but they were never supposed to.

The LCA was envisioned as a lightweight bird to fill the numbers, not as the teeth of the IAF. Kindly get that straight.

Indian Army is crying from 1995, that they don't want Arjun MBT, but every year they have to have mandatory trail of Arjun only to find out it is not suitable.

You kidding rite? Indian army itself ordered the project and set the specifications.

Unfortunately, it seems that the kind of performance demanded by the army couldn't be fitted into a lighweight tank. Not surprising, since no other tank has been able to achieve the same either.

Also, don't go around believing everything they say in the media. the media is always looking for a way to ridicule the government (which is great btw).

The army was always behind the project, and still is. Taking half-baked news reports as gospel is rather silly.

Of course, being a govt. project, it tends to be very slow....however, the final product, most veterans and tank operators agree, is a much needed boost for India's armour.

What should we do to media and Bogus expert, not lisenting to the men who matter

Exactly.

 

[Titanium]

IAF might have asked for F-35 stealth!!!

What IAF wants, maybe Raptor which they will get aka PAK-FA from Russia. But are they getting what they expected of LCA? No

IAF would have to be asked to lower certain aspects of their air staff requirements for the LCA, which at the moment were unrealistic.

Are they accepting the lower spec LCA and not insist on "Unrealistic" expectation from DRDO?

“The IAF will have to be asked how many aircraft they take with the current performance.”

 

[con]

What IAF wants, maybe Raptor which they will get aka PAK-FA from Russia. But are they getting what they expected of LCA? No

So what is IAF expecting of LCA? Please enlighten us all.

 

[Titanium]

So what is IAF expecting of LCA? Please enlighten us all.

Read my Above post, if you still did not get, I will increase the font size:

IAF would have to be asked to lower certain aspects of their air staff requirements for the LCA, which at the moment were unrealistic.

 

[Titanium]

Drop tank Leaking? Save the poor pilots.

Drop tanks which will enhance the Tejas’ endurance capabilities have been fitted but having sprung a leak they are currently non-operational.