IAF set to induct 6 LCA squadrons

[Alfa-Fighter]

Well LCA will be our plane and everything will be ours and not bounded by any country rules and regulations like F-16 PAK bought , used to present to US military personal for inspection at US will.

 

[IND151]

Giving a big thrust to the indigenous fighter jet programme, Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to induct six squadrons of Tejas light combat aircraft over the next 10 years, which will allow the IAF to pack more punch in its aerial strikes.

“IAF plans to induct six LCA squadrons by the end of the 13th Plan,” minister of state for defence M M Pallam Raju said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The development phase for LCA (light combat force) began in 1983 and the first technology demonstrator flew in 2001. Four years later, IAF placed the first order of 20 Tejas at a cost of Rs 2,700 crore. Subsequently, it placed order for another squadron.

The first two squadrons – 40 aircraft – of LCA, are first generation Mark-I version. The additional four squadrons would be Tejas Mark-II aircraft with a higher powered engine.

Raju indicated that money would not come in the way of LCA development. The Centre sanctioned Rs 11,845.2 crore to Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) till date while the total expenditure incurred so far is Rs 5,051.46 crore, he said.

Only last week, the penultimate developmental aircraft Tejas limited series production - 7 (LSP-7) successfully undertook its maiden flight from HAL airport. The LSP-7 aircraft, along with LSP- 8 will be offered to the IAF for user evaluation trials.

The LSP-7 flight is also the first time that a LCA maiden flight was not accompanied by the customary chase aircraft, which is an indicator to the level of confidence defence scientists and IAF have in the machine, defence research and development organisation stated. IAF plans to station the first two LCA squadron at Sulur near Coimbatore and Kayathir near Tuticorin.

IAF set to induct 6 LCA squadrons

as i expected

i had guessed that if IAF inducts LCA they will induct at least 120

there is no other way to have strength of 42 squadrons at least without raising budget too much

Tejas will cost 60 to 70 million $

its way less than 100 to 120 million $ Rafale

 

[IndianArmy]

as i expected

i had guessed that if IAF inducts LCA they will induct at least 120

there is no other way to have strength of 42 squadrons at least without raising budget too much

Tejas will cost 60 to 70 million $

its way less than 100 to 120 million $ Rafale

Its just the initial cost to gain what has been put into R&D , after setting up 5 - 10 squadrons the prices would gradually reduce and will be an Efficient Cost effective competitor in the global arms market in the class of its generation of aircraft's..

 

[IND151]

^^ i think India wont export LCA for a foreseeable future

BTW will LCA Mk 2 have AESA?

 

[IndianArmy]

^^ i think India wont export LCA for a foreseeable future

BTW will LCA Mk 2 have AESA?

Well The export will no longer carry a question mark if the prices are reduced and especially when HAL is in the phase of learning product commercialization. LCA would be a good Specimen to try what it has learnt. And about AESA I am afraid by going with the statistics from Aero India 2011 Mk2 will not carry an AESA Radar.

 

[Abingdonboy]

^ AFAIK Mk.2 will feature an AESA co-developed with Israel.


And I do see a huge export market for the Mk.2 (even the Mk.1 is sufficiently advanced for some nations).


Livefist: EXCLUSIVE: India's LCA AESA Radar Programme Detailed

Broadsword: Tejas LCA to get high-tech AESA radar


LRDE To Develop AESA Radar For Indian LCA MK II Tejas Fighter Jet ~ Bharat Military Review

 

[jbond197]

hmm, Tejas is turning out to be rock solid in the end.. Help from France/Israel/America will make it even stronger.. Beautiful!

 

[PRINCE_THE_SHOWSTOPPER]

We heard IAF was set to induct 250 lCas in the future looks like Rafale has taken the chunck of investment from lca the number shrinked down to 108 from 250 which means more than 126 Rafales would be procured in some point of time.

absolutely wrong info....The rafale's are medium combat aircraft while the tejas are light combat whereas the sukhoi's are heavy combat, all categories of aircraft are reqired for different needs of the IAF,and induction of one type will not hamper the induction of the other types

 

[Agent_47]

when we can achieve the mark of 120 LCAs?
the induction starts on 2014,the production rate will be max of 1 squardon per year.then it will be 2020.
then PAF will be already flying 250 jf 17s.Damn i will be 30 then!

btw what about NLCAs,which is 40 confirmed? does HAL hav separate production line? what about the engine of 8 already ordered NLCA,is it include in those 99?

I would like to see doubling the whole LCA production line and meeting our requirement ASAP,then focus on exports.
as mk2 has huge export potential even better than that jerk fighter.

 

[INDIAISM]

Its just the initial cost to gain what has been put into R&D , after setting up 5 - 10 squadrons the prices would gradually reduce and will be an Efficient Cost effective competitor in the global arms market in the class of its generation of aircraft's..

Sir i don't think it will ever cost more 45 million$ per aircraft....Reason it will share new tecnology with AMCA and FGFA which will reduce its cost.....and as faar as the export orders are concern i think it already has a ready market of atleast 100 aircrafts...Very soon Vietnam will have to replace its around 195 Mig21 and its abvious that Vietnam won't go for any Chinees platform...So the only thing it need is little bit of diplomacy from Indian Govt....

 

[21 Dec 2012]

Sir i don't think it will ever cost more 45 million$ per aircraft....Reason it will share new tecnology with AMCA and FGFA which will reduce its cost.....and as faar as the export orders are concern i think it already has a ready market of atleast 100 aircrafts...Very soon Vietnam will have to replace its around 195 Mig21 and its abvious that Vietnam won't go for any Chinees platform...So the only thing it need is little bit of diplomacy from Indian Govt....

Don't you think selling the weapon to Viet' would also give Chinese a chance to study them?

 

[rockstarIN]

Finally Im happy that IAF will induct 120 nos of LCAs... there were always scepticism from IAF side. Hope, it will be over once the user trail is started.

 

[rai_kamal]

Don't you think selling the weapon to Viet' would also give Chinese a chance to study them?

Vietnam, won't allow chinese pilot to sit inside that..Than how will know about it, and if they don't use their radar then how will chinese come to know about it..??

 

[Storm Force]

Just like the ARJUN TANK after years of delays I FULLY EXPECT TEJAS to emerge as a very important part of the IAF fleet from 2015 onwards

I firmly believe the mk2 tejas will more than just a USEFUL opponent to the both the THUNDER & THE FC20 having superior western origin engines & avionics and weapons on board...