Manohar Parrikar reviews LCA progress

[Rangila]

Manohar Parrikar reviews LCA progress | The Indian Express

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar Wednesday reviewed the performance of state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). He is learnt to have taken a stock of the progress made on the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, besides other issues. This assumes importance as he has consistently advocated the production of LCAs to supplement the Rafale fighter jets.

This was Parrikar’s third meeting with HAL since he took over as Defence Minister. A capability augmentation review of HAL in light of IAF’s rotary wing requirements as well as in line with the government’s ‘Make In India’ initiative is learnt to have taken place during the meeting.

“The team led by HAL chairman T Suvarna Raju made a presentation to the Defence Minister. LCA prominently figured in the discussion. A capability assessment of HAL was done in light of IAF requirements which has been banking upon the LCA programme as an addition to the Rafale fighter jets. Other projects such as Light Combat Helicopter, Light Utility Helicopter were also discussed,” a source from the ministry said. In April, PM Narendra Modi had announced plans to buy 36 Rafale jets from France, instead of earlier plans to acquire 126 such aircraft. Parrikar has said the gap can be met with LCA which fits the government’s Make in India initiative.

 

[Super Commando Dhruva]

!!Commendable work done by photographer!!

 

[GURU DUTT]

!!Commendable work done by photographer!!

a picture tells a 1000 stories and looks like MP is not ammused and thinking of "plan B" already.... lets see how things turn up

 

[GR!FF!N]

This assumes importance as he has consistently advocated the production of LCAs to supplement the Rafale fighter jets.

what does this line mean??are we talking about some deep upgrade which can enable Tejas to incorporate some of features of Rafale so that it can carry out Rafale's role??

Tejas's A2G capability is decent.but I don't know how good it'll be in SEAD/DEAD or Strike role.Its payload is so low..

I heard Litening Pod Tejas will use..

along with Mayavi EW Warfare Suit.But it is nowhere near Spectra.

I'd really like an EW version of Tejas,something in Growler's line.

 

[Rangila]

what does this line mean??are we talking about some deep upgrade which can enable Tejas to incorporate some of features of Rafale so that it can carry out Rafale's role??

Tejas's A2G capability is decent.but I don't know how good it'll be in SEAD/DEAD or Strike role.Its payload is so low..

I heard Litening Pod Tejas will use..

along with Mayavi EW Warfare Suit.But it is nowhere near Spectra.

I'd really like an EW version of Tejas,something in Growler's line.

He is saying in a unsaid manner "from here onwards do not count on MIGs" Rafale + Tejas, along with other fighters will dominate Indian sky.

 

[Immanuel]

^^^^
the payload is not low, rather decent for a small aircraft like this.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QuEg6vZE31Q/Uf5cnuhJDfI/AAAAAAAAAH4/eoYkTK8blSk/s1600/LCa.jpg

http://qph.is.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-3aefa851ea4ded724a959465da0da5ba?convert_to_webp=true

In A2A role with internal fuel alone, it will carry 4 BVR & 2 WVR missiles + center line fuel, for now the Derby-ER/Python 5 & R-73E. eventually Astra Mk-2

In a bombing role, 4*500kg bombs (certainly tested with Paveways/Griffin Mk-3s/Dumb bombs/Betab cluster bombs) + 2 WVR + 1 centerline fuel, keeping in mind Python-5 is perhaps the best WVR missile currently operational anywhere.

Payload sure is half of the Rafale but the cost too is 1/4th. keep in mind if we integrate weapons like CBU-105SFW on even 3 stations on the LCA, that is a whopping 120 targets that can be potentially destroyed. CBU-105SFW weighs about 1000 lbs, Tejas has 5 stations that can deploy this weight.

In an anti shipping roles, easily 4* KH-31A Anti ship missiles + 1 centerline fuel tank + 2 WVR, but these need to be tested by the IN. As for SEAD, I would think it will be able to deploy the KH-31P soon. Both KH-31 A/P weigh around 610 kgs, Tejas has 5 stations that can deploy this can carry this kind of weight.