Ashoka The Great
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Given its small size anyway, it’s “virtually invisible” to adversary fighter; were how a Tejas Test pilot described Tejas RCS signature. Use of carbon fibre gives Tejas natural stealth characteristics and advantage of low operating costs, use of carbon fibre composites (CFC) gives Tejas 45 percent content by weight and 90 per cent of its surface is made of carbon fibres, Carbon fibre doesn’t make aircraft stealthily but reflection of radar beams by CFC is much less when compared to metallic components in the aircrafts but CFC with Radar-absorbent material coating and given the smaller size of aircraft gives Tejas low radar signature or stealth characteristics .Expert believe that RCS of Tejas is three times smaller than a Mirage-2000, but it might be speculation since official RCS figure of Tejas has never been made available in public domain, CFC have other advantages they don’t deteriorate with age nor corrode due weather elements, CFC also gives Tejas better operational empty weight giving Tejas better thrust to weight ratio when compared with other aircrafts with similar engines. CFC does have their own disadvantages, there are expensive to make but India has already invested heavily in development of CFC making it among the best in CFC technology in the world.
Sensing an opportunity and possibility of further reduction in radar signature of Tejas, DRDO has put towed with idea of development of Tejas MK-3 with better improvements and lowering its radar signatures, DRDO plans to use up to 70 percent of CFC in Tejas MK-3 up from 45 percent currently used in Tejas MK-1. DRDO also plans to focus on reducing infrared signature of the aircraft by reducing exhaust temperatures from the engine, to make Tejas MK-3 near Stealth aircraft DRDO also plans to improve fuselage and improve engine ducts to achieve low radar signature.
Research work carried out on AMCA will help in development of Tejas MK-3 and MK-3 will also benefit in avionics development which according to DRDO will borrow heavily from AMCA. Two current projects on Stealth front headed by DRDO are development of Stealth aircraft AMCA and development of unmanned combat aircraft Aura, MK3 likely will be testbed for such development and technology developed will benefit all three projects in long term in future.
Stealth and Tejas | idrw.org