‘Tejas’ LCA project likely to be completed in 2015

[Jayanta]

The country’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’ programme is now expected to be completed only by March 2015 and is one of the major projects undertaken by the Defence Research Development Organisation(DRDO) which is running behind schedule by several years, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Union Defence Minister A K Antony said in a written reply that the deadline for the ‘Tejas’ project, which was originally scheduled for completion by December 2008, was likely to be extended till March 2015 as it had already breached the December 2012 revised deadline.
The IAF is eagerly waiting for the DRDO to complete the LCA project so that it could replace the ageing Soviet-era MiG-21s,which had earned the sobriquet’flying coffins’ following the numerous air crashes involving them.

The Upper House was also informed that as many as 34 MiG fighter planes had crashed in the last five years and six pilots were killed in the accidents along with five civilians. As for the DRDO’s delayed projects, the minister noted that the Naval LCA was now scheduled for completion by December 2014 as opposed to its original schedule of March 2010.

The Naval LCAs are likely to be the combat air element of the country’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) that is now under construction at the Cochin Shipyard (CSL) and which in all likelihood may join the Navy by December 2015.

Similarly, the indigenous aeroengine ‘Kaveri’, which the DRDO had been developing for the LCA too was badly delayed, resulting in the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) going in for the American GE F414 engines for the Mark-II versions of the combat plane.

The Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS), a transport aircraft-mounted radar known as a major force multiplier capable of being an ‘eye-in-the-sky’ for the Indian armed forces, too has been delayed and will now be ready only by March 2014.

Also running behind schedule is the Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM), which is now scheduled for completion only in December 2015.

Antony said the reasons for the delay in these projects included ab initio development of the state-of-the-art technologies, non-availability of trained and skilled manpower to work on the projects and lack of infrastructure and test facilities in the country.

Regarding the delay in the ongoing Scorpene submarines’ project at the Mumbai-based Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL), the minister blamed it on the slow procurement of the raw materials. “The project is being closely monitored by the Union Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Navy to ensure its completion without any further delay,” he said.

Link - ‘Tejas’ LCA project likely to be completed in 2015 | idrw.org

Again the heading itself provides a clear indication "LIKELY"...so it is not assured. God know how many more years...people expecting MK2 to be a game changer must understand that although it might get high tech radars(AESA) , BVR missiles and what not...but without the changes in framework....it would be like an Ambassador car with high tech DVD player and GPS system.

 

[Nisha]

Again the heading itself provides a clear indication "LIKELY"...so it is not assured. God know how many more years...people expecting MK2 to be a game changer must understand that although it might get high tech radars(AESA) , BVR missiles and what not...but without the changes in framework....it would be like an Ambassador car with high tech DVD player and GPS system.

Thank you. That;s exactly what I felt. No matter what the % of composites added, it cannot rectify the flaws in basic sturctural design. It's a 30+ yr old design for God's sake. We don;t even know the quality of the composities and the true capability of other;s radars. What if China's supplies Pakistan with top of the shelf radars to detect it?

 

[sancho]

Agree but don't you think at the end of the day you will standing the same position at same time. if in 1992 you buy Car and fitted a Car with AC in 2000 while all cars started to come with AC in 2000, so technology wise both car on same level.

Not necessarily, if the car in 2000 still uses AC technology of 1992, while the older car gets an new modern AC now. Similarly, LCA was developed with composited and RAM coatings from the start, unlike JF 17, but these will be added to some extend during the coming Block 2 upgrades. Even if LCA MK1 might remain with a higher content, on technological basis in this regard, both will be similar again and the LCA had lost it's advantage to a certain extend again. So the longer we wait to induct the MK1, the lower it's potential, which is the sad part since the potential was there and with a foreign radar and engine it would had even good export potential.

what will be the final config of the lca tejas mark(?) if there is a final?

Is the plane developing into Mk 2 now before its MK 1 is inducted?

The cost estimation now of the plane is US$31 mio a pc. When it is completed (Mk 1) it is probably costing $35 to 40 mio a pc
which is way more costly than JF-17 (Blk 2); J-10B; and about the same price as a SAAB Gripen; or a F-16 (Blk 60)!

MK1 is still aimed between $20 and 30 millions, which is a good price for the capabilities it offers and comparable to Gripen C/D today
MK2 depending on the final specs and systems could again be similar to Gripen E/F
The F16 Block 60 should be far more costly, since the systems were developed especially for the UAE and are not available for upgrades, which reduces the numbers and increases the costs.
J10A was reportedly offered to Myanmar at a price around $40 millions, although the price for China should be lower, but it shows that Tejas is still very competitive with regard to price vs techs and capabilites, but sadly the longer we need, the lower the chances.

 

[danger007]

Thank you. That;s exactly what I felt. No matter what the % of composites added, it cannot rectify the flaws in basic sturctural design. It's a 30+ yr old design for God's sake. We don;t even know the quality of the composities and the true capability of other;s radars. What if China's supplies Pakistan with top of the shelf radars to detect it?

Not really, May be the project is initiated or started 30 years ago.... But the design won't be same... The funding started in 90's.. There will be structural changes.... It is a 4th gen JET...

 

[Nisha]

Not really, May be the project is initiated or started 30 years ago.... But the design won't be same... The funding started in 90's.. There will be structural changes.... It is a 4th gen JET...

I don;t understand. The structural design was conceptualized 30 yrs back. The funding you mentioned was to make that design which we see today possible. The deisgn has remained the same.

 

[S-DUCT]

I don;t understand. The structural design was conceptualized 30 yrs back. The funding you mentioned was to make that design which we see today possible. The deisgn has remained the same.

Early LCA with Cranked Arrow Design which somethat resembles F-16XL.LCA as a program had many competing designs(cranked delta,compound delta,designs with euro canards).each design has its own advantages and disadvantages.Tejas is final winner among those designs which was selected IAF.The LCA design was finalised in 1990 as a small tail-less delta winged machine with relaxed static stability (RSS) to enhance manoeuvrability performance.PV-1 due to sanctions took flight on 2001 instead of 1995.Tejas is the final design and there would be only minor design changes Like in Tejas mk2 (.5m long 10mm Wide air intakes)

 

[JohnyD]

Dates are useless when it comes to Indian project..... how many more date we will see on this forum about Tejas completion last i heard it was end of 2013 and now it is 2015......

dude, u got 2 yrs extension to ur life too as u r eagerly waiting for it...dekhte dekhte LCA ke sath apni umar bhi bad rahi hai.......enjoy the events!!!

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Might aswell cancel this project....just like kaveri.

 

[INDIAISM]

Not necessarily, if the car in 2000 still uses AC technology of 1992, while the older car gets an new modern AC now. Similarly, LCA was developed with composited and RAM coatings from the start, unlike JF 17, but these will be added to some extend during the coming Block 2 upgrades. Even if LCA MK1 might remain with a higher content, on technological basis in this regard, both will be similar again and the LCA had lost it's advantage to a certain extend again. So the longer we wait to induct the MK1, the lower it's potential, which is the sad part since the potential was there and with a foreign radar and engine it would had even good export potential.




MK1 is still aimed between $20 and 30 millions, which is a good price for the capabilities it offers and comparable to Gripen C/D today
MK2 depending on the final specs and systems could again be similar to Gripen E/F
The F16 Block 60 should be far more costly, since the systems were developed especially for the UAE and are not available for upgrades, which reduces the numbers and increases the costs.
J10A was reportedly offered to Myanmar at a price around $40 millions, although the price for China should be lower, but it shows that Tejas is still very competitive with regard to price vs techs and capabilites, but sadly the longer we need, the lower the chances.

IaF ordered 20 LCA mk1 for around 450 Million Dollars so that brings the Cost Of LCA Mk1 to around 22.5 Million Dollars...

Secondly J10 uses Al 31 engine which cost around 3.5 Million Dollars and has a service life of around 900 to 1500 hours and on the other hand LCA Mk1 use GE 404 engine which cost around 5 Million Dollars and has a service life of around 4000 hours.....

 

[jha]

I don;t understand. The structural design was conceptualized 30 yrs back. The funding you mentioned was to make that design which we see today possible. The deisgn has remained the same.

LCA program was conceptualised 30 years ago. Not the design. Sevaral designs were tested during the previous years. One even had a canard. The program was badly hit due to the second Nuclear test and the resulting US restrictions.

The delay in induction in IAF which we see is mainly because IAF just has too many options and wants a fully tested bird.
Rest assured, LCA will be inducted in numbers.

 

[JohnyD]

Might aswell cancel this project....just like kaveri.

okay...request sent...request ID JD8393939498383982938298 for tracking....

 

[blufmaster]

For God Sake Guyz Be mature.........Dont post This Kind of **** .......in this year this is going to be happened , that will be completed , we all know what project is at what stage. and how much in progress.

 

[danger007]

I don;t understand. The structural design was conceptualized 30 yrs back. The funding you mentioned was to make that design which we see today possible. The deisgn has remained the same.

any jet manufacturing Industry will go with optional Jet design for each project.... there will be structural changes in every stage..... So many project around the world remained as TD due to the economical reasons and so on ...because of economical reasons LCA project remained in dim light.... apart that, we don't have technological advancement in early 80's or 90's ...

 

[Nisha]

Thanks guys for the info. Interesting to say the least. JD-in, Im not a dude but a dudette!

 

[Alfa-Fighter]

Thank you. That;s exactly what I felt. No matter what the % of composites added, it cannot rectify the flaws in basic sturctural design. It's a 30+ yr old design for God's sake. We don;t even know the quality of the composities and the true capability of other;s radars. What if China's supplies Pakistan with top of the shelf radars to detect it?

If you dont know, India is Pioneer in the composite technology. India is the first to develop and implement this technology. India mastered this composite technology.

For God Sake Guyz Be mature.........Dont post This Kind of **** .......in this year this is going to be happened , that will be completed , we all know what project is at what stage. and how much in progress.[/QUOTE

Dont worry , we made ABM system , Nuclear Sub, and own nuclear reactors. helos and we can make plane also.

Might aswell cancel this project....just like kaveri.

project is not called but used in some other projects where it deemed fit.