Tajas FOC Updates: In-flight refueling probe testing to begin soon on LCA-Tejas

[Techy]

SOURCE: IDRW NEWS NETWORK

Cobham supplied In-flight refueling probe for LCA-Tejas MK-1 ​

A nearly year ago UK based Company “Cobham” handed over in-flight refueling probe for integration with LCA-Tejas MK-1 and now HAL is planning to start the first trial runs in next few weeks said informed sources close to idrw.org .

Limited Series Production-8 (LSP-8) stopped flying from January this year and has been already integrated with supplied in-flight refueling probe and land-based trials have been carried out after structural modification were performed on LSP-8 for probe integration which also saw software upgrades to enable fuel sensors to detect mid-air fuel supply and to show correct fuel capacity to pilots.

LSP-8 will start flying again in next few weeks to conduct carriage trials before mock-up dry trials will begin wherein the first phase IAF’s Ilyushin IL-78 air-to-air refueling tanker aircraft and LSP-8 will carry out mockup mid-air refueling where both aircraft will fly in close proximity to record and study behavior of the tanker’s fuel-transferring systems in the vicinity of the probe and the handling qualities of the aircraft.

The second phase will see actual contact with the fuel transferring systems of tanker with the in-flight refueling probe of LCA-Tejas aircraft but no fuel transfer will actually take place , tests will be repeated till it achieves 2-5 minutes in contact with tanker which is actual fuel transfer time usually taken by tanker to pump fuel into a fighter jet. Wet runs trials will be followed after completion of Dry run trials where actual fuel transfer will take place which may happen only in next year .

Integration and demonstration of mid-air refueling probe on LCA-Tejas are one of the key requirement to obtain Final Operational Clearance (FOC) . First, 20 IOC-II certified LCA-Tejas MK-1 will initially be produced and delivered without in-flight refueling capacity but will be upgraded at a later stage since all aircraft will come with provision for pumps and fuel lines for IFR integration at a later stage.

 

[kaykay]

Is it buddy refueling probe or just normal one?

 

[Mustang06]

I guess first they'll test it on IL 78 and then maybe try buddy ayatem.

Is it buddy refueling probe or just normal one?

 

[fsayed]

http://idrw.org/in-flight-refuelling-probe-testing-to-begin-soon-on-lca-tejas/

Here is the link bro kindly post article with links or u will get negative rating

 

[sudhir007]

How much time it will take

 

[JohnyD]

Why next year for actual fuel transfer? Seems LCA is still being used as training and experimental object for so called scientists at DRDO and its sister concerns...

 

[punit]

How much time it will take

2020!

 

[sathya]

can we catch up with jf17 in aerial refuelling ?
i guess their dry run happened in china not long ago!

 

[Abingdonboy]

can we catch up with jf17 in aerial refuelling ?
i guess their dry run happened in china not long ago!

The 21st onwards JF-17 Block-2 will only have this capability (from around 2017), the LCA Mk.1 will have this from the outset from 2018 onwards.

Is it buddy refueling probe or just normal one?

Buddy refuelling will not require a different IFR probe as the probe and drogue is standaridsed across all military platforms but will require a buddy refuelling transfer pod on the "buddy" fighter acting as the tanker:

So the LCA will be able to receive fuel from any IAF (or IN) fighter where the buddy refuelling pod is in service (MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-29UPG and Rafale). If the LCA is to act as the "buddy tanker" then a buddy refuelling pod will need to be intergrated with the LCA which shouldn't be a huge issue but the question of whether the LCA needs to have this capability will have to be asked first. Giving it an IFR system makes perfect sense but does it need to act as a tanker with its rather limited range? Maybe the IN will insist on this capability.