NLCA NP-1 outperformed our expectations, says ADA- Climb rate observed to be double than projected.

[SrNair]

Why Navy gets all its things better than AF?

More commitment I think.
Something that is less in AF

 

[vsdave2302]

really? BTW does it still flies or just good for testing and ski jumpings

You can make any assumption which gives the relief to your burning hurt.

 

[ashok mourya]

Why Navy gets all its things better than AF?

The range and weight fits for navies requirement in comparison IAF.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Why Navy gets all its things better than AF?

Far superior project management when it comes to supporting indigenous projects.

 

[Echo_419]

really? BTW does it still flies or just good for testing and ski jumpings

Please develop a Moped Engine first before trolling on such topics

Far superior project management when it comes to supporting indigenous projects.

Srsly the Army & the AF needs to learn from Navy

 

[Supply&Demand]

i actually like the NP2 design and looks...

 

[My-Analogous]

NLCA NP-1 outperformed our expectations, says ADA
SOURCE : Dr Anantha Krishnan M / ONEINDIA

The first prototype (NP-1) of the Naval Light Combat Aircraft (NLCA), which had a ski-take off from the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) in INS Hansa in Goa on December 20, 2014, outperformed the expectations of its designers and engineers. In an exclusive interview to OneIndia, his first after the historic flight of NP-1, NLCA Programme Director Cmde C D Balaji (Retd) said that NP-1 gifted a ‘welcome bonus’ at SBTF.
“There are many uncertainties and potential surprises when you attempt something for the first time. We had built in a detail plan after looking into all major possibilities of a failure. Accordingly, we wanted to have a minimum climb angle of 5.7 degrees during the first attempt,” Balaji told OneIndia ahead of the forthcoming Aero India 2015.
With Lady Luck finally giving company to the NLCA designers at Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the NP-1’s performance seems to have lifted the spirits of the entire team.
“We got an unexpected bonus in terms of NP-1’s excess performance and the actual minimum climb angle was in excess of 10 degrees. It is welcome bonus for an aircraft that has been so often derided for lack of thrust, and this excess will be accounted for in future launches as well,” a satisfied Balaji said.
ADA Chief P S Subramanyam too agrees with Balaji while sharing inside details of the NP-1’s performance. “The Goa campaign turned out to be a memorable one for all of us. It is inspiring when an aircraft performs more that what was expected during its flight evaluation stages. NP-I’s performance was better than anticipated in comparison to estimates earlier made purely based on its flight tests at Bangalore,” says Subramanyam.
There are more prototypes to be added to flightline
Balaji said to meet the full missions requirements stipulated by the Indian Navy, three more prototypes will be rolled out in future. “We have a new programme with a higher thrust engine sanctioned under the LCA Navy Mk2 phase. It is aimed minimising the constraints of LCA Navy Mk-1. It will have significant changes in design to improve aerodynamics, landing gear & arrester hook optimization, structural design optimization, updated sensors, avionics and Flight Control System among others,” says Balaji.
Interestingly, Balaji, the soft-spoken captain of the NLCA project had to bear the brunt of the Navy, Ministry of Defence and the media for the delays the project entered in the last couple of years.
The landing gear mass of the LCA (Navy) Mk-2 aircraft is likely to be reduced by 200-250 kg, albeit being capable of a higher take off mass. Prototypes likely to come from this Mk-2 flightline are NP-3 and NP-4 (both fighters). From the existing resources ADA has already begun the work for the third NLCA prototype which will be designated as NP-5, a trainer. Balaji says all trainers will be from the Mk-1 flightline.ADA insiders tell OneIndia that the newly-appointed HAL Chairman T Suvarna Raju has promised all help for the NLCA project. “HAL Chairman was waiting to receive the NP-2 after it touched down during his maiden flight on February 7, 2015. His presence has inspired the entire team,” says an official in ADA.
NP-1 to undergo minor changes
ADA says the wealth of data collected from the maiden ski-jump mission has been fully analysed. “The areas needing attention have been identified. The CLAW (Control Law) and Flight Control System (FCS) software will be updated for higher performance. The Nose Landing Gear (NLG) extension was faster than predicted. Minor modifications to the NLG will also be done,” says Balaji.
When compared to NP-1, one major addition on NP2 is the presence of a Multi-Mode Radar (MMR). The aircraft performance is expected to be similar to NP-1. “The focus on sensor and weapon capability demonstration will be on NP-2,” says Balaji.
Critical observations from the last trials
ADA says the AoA (Angle of Attack) after ramp exit reached 21.6 degrees which augers well for utilisation of even greater angles of attack for launch. “The maximum all up weight that an aircraft can be launched at is the primary determinant of its operational capability as it dictates the quantum of weapons and fuel that the aircraft carries.
For a ski-jump launch, the final design intent is to have a zero rate of climb after ramp exit to get the best performance of the aircraft,” says Balaji.
More action lined up in Goa from March
Once the FCS software upgradation and minor rework on NLG is completed, NP-1 will hit Goa for the next phase of the campaign in March 2015. It will continue its ski-jump launches to progressively reduce margins till final performance levels are achieved. “Also, it is planned to initiate activities towards arrested recovery starting with dummy approaches on the landing area, ‘taxi-in’ arrester hook engagements on to the arrester wire at the SBTF and final flight engagement,” says Balaji.
ADA hopes to get a suitable slot for NLCA NP-1 during the upcoming Aero India 2015. “We are working on the slots available. It is likely that NP-1might fly,” adds Balaji.

NLCA NP-1 outperformed our expectations, says ADA | idrw.org

and awaiting to become MAN. Our is seven year old now

 

[sancho]

Why Navy gets all its things better than AF?

That doesn't have much to do with IAF or IN, since this is still just a prototype of ADA DRDO. IN is just providing the main requirements just as IAF does and as we know, this is basically a navalised IAF trainer with minor modifications, even the now added radar, EW and avionics are developed and tested for the land based LSPs first.

 

[vsdave2302]

and awaiting to become MAN. Our is seven year old now

FIne, So what shal we do now?

l

That doesn't have much to do with IAF or IN, since this is still just a prototype of ADA DRDO. IN is just providing the main requirements just as IAF does and as we know, this is basically a navalised IAF trainer with minor modifications, even the now added radar, EW and avionics are developed and tested for the land based LSPs first.

Hi sancho,

Can you please tell me whether lavcon in wing root of Naval tejas has played any role in this high climb rate?

In what way will it affect the performance of Tejas?

Can it be used for irforce Tejas as well?

 

[janon]

and awaiting to become MAN. Our is seven year old now

Our baby is our own. Wasn't conceived in a taller than mountains friend's womb.

really? BTW does it still flies or just good for testing and ski jumpings

 

[Krate M]

That doesn't have much to do with IAF or IN, since this is still just a prototype of ADA DRDO. IN is just providing the main requirements just as IAF does and as we know, this is basically a navalised IAF trainer with minor modifications, even the now added radar, EW and avionics are developed and tested for the land based LSPs first.

Actually not true.
Navy deputed a high level team to LCA before IAF and also committed own funds to the program.

Look at the plane. It has Navy written on it. Plain bold statement. Shows the project management strategy of Navy. You should watch the video of Commodore Jaideep Maolankar from last aeroindia on LCA navy, how the Navy has a team which has been delegated a lot of decision power, allowing quick decision making.

The Navy knows how to stagger the development and understands the capacity of the development agency well. Allows for managing expectations, too high expectations lead to failures and unreal demands. Also it believes in progressive development (best is the enemy of good ) as opposed to the I want the best for my pilots strategy of IAF.

 

[sancho]

In what way will it affect the performance of Tejas?

Can it be used for irforce Tejas as well?

The LEVCONS are meant to give NLCA more control at carrier landings and at lower speed, don't think it adds anything to IAF's version, since it's a fixed extention of the wing root, which adds more weight and possibly more drag.

Actually not true.
Navy deputed a high level team to LCA before IAF and also committed own funds to the program.

The navy funded the varient of the IAF version, which already is funded by the MoD, that doesn't mean that the navy is developing the fighter. And if you watched the video, Commodore Jaideep Maolankar is criticizing ADA for overdeveloping the gear and the several problems of the version, which makes clear who is developing and what role IN has withing the development. BOTH forces sets the base requirements, overview the development and judge how far the requirements were met or what changes are needed, but they are not part of the development itself!
Again, NLCA is a modification of land based prototype versions that are already developed and tested with more than 2000 sorties, but not a complete new development. What makes it special is, that there is no know how base on naval modifications available in India and implementing them to the available LCA design is the challenging part!
Moreover, implementing all the wishes of IN into the MK2 will be even more challenging, because that causes credible design changes. If the naval requirements would not be part of the MK2 development, IAF might even get their version faster, since their demands didn't included the additional fuel tanks, a navalised engine and AESA as must have's and it's needs to be seen how long the development of the MK2 now will take.

NLCA for the navy is nothing more than a tech demonstrator program, to develop indigenous naval fighter design and development capabilities. Which is a good thing, but completely wasted on a poor platform, that comes far too late to have any importance anymore. Instead of insisting on the MK2 version, they should had insisted on the development of AMCA as a carrier fighter as the next step.

 

[Echo_419]

and awaiting to become MAN. Our is seven year old now

Hmaraa apnaa bachaa hai yeh

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Why Navy gets all its things better than AF?

The IN is always much more deeply involved in the Design and Development of its projects than the IAF is..... thats why.

 

[Echo_419]

The LEVCONS are meant to give NLCA more control at carrier landings and at lower speed, don't think it adds anything to IAF's version, since it's a fixed extention of the wing root, which adds more weight and possibly more drag.



The navy funded the varient of the IAF version, which already is funded by the MoD, that doesn't mean that the navy is developing the fighter. And if you watched the video, Commodore Jaideep Maolankar is criticizing ADA for overdeveloping the gear and the several problems of the version, which makes clear who is developing and what role IN has withing the development. BOTH forces sets the base requirements, overview the development and judge how far the requirements were met or what changes are needed, but they are not part of the development itself!
Again, NLCA is a modification of land based prototype versions that are already developed and tested with more than 2000 sorties, but not a complete new development. What makes it special is, that there is no know how base on naval modifications available in India and implementing them to the available LCA design is the challenging part!
Moreover, implementing all the wishes of IN into the MK2 will be even more challenging, because that causes credible design changes. If the naval requirements would not be part of the MK2 development, IAF might even get their version faster, since their demands didn't included the additional fuel tanks, a navalised engine and AESA as must have's and it's needs to be seen how long the development of the MK2 now will take.

NLCA for the navy is nothing more than a tech demonstrator program, to develop indigenous naval fighter design and development capabilities. Which is a good thing, but completely wasted on a poor platform, that comes far too late to have any importance anymore. Instead of insisting on the MK2 version, they should had insisted on the development of AMCA as a carrier fighter as the next step.

I agree & since turning a Navy fighter into a AF version would have been very easy no time would had been lost,also there is a option of Navalising FGFA by the experience gained for NLCA Program & if that is not enough rope in a Foriegn Consultant