LCA TEJAS MK-I & MK-IA: News and Discussion

[AbRaj]

It's still false. 36/40 are delivered and lots of them delivered in last 9-10 years.

Ok

 

[Patriots]

View: https://x.com/rahulsinghx/status/1891719316678082571/photo/2


Key takeaways
1. 3 mk1a s are ready and flew with cat B engine
2. Astra firing tejas in 2 weeks

 

[Spitfire IX]

Re: above post,

All the stuff that we had promised is there and fully integrated.

That is a definitive statement. If it transpires that all the stuff promised is not there and fully integrated, zero confidence in HAL will be wholly justified IMO. As a buyer of the product, I would resolve to make no future purchases from the supplier.

 

[Patriots]

Re: above post,



That is a definitive statement. If it transpires that all the stuff promised is not there and fully integrated, confidence will justifiably drop to zero.

Explained: How New Tejas Fighter Jet Variant Is Different From Its Predecessor

The upgraded version of the indigenous supersonic fighter aircraft, the Tejas MK1A, is expected to be delivered to the Indian Air Force by July, reports said.

www.ndtv.com

Mk1A will have around nine hard points on its underbelly to carry various types of weaponry like the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, Air-to-Air/Ground missiles, and Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air missiles (ASRAAM). External self-protection jammer pods will allow the aircraft to engage in electronic warfare.


Astra not fired in final config , dual pylon asraam not tested ...

 

[Anants]

Astra not fired in final config , dual pylon asraam not tested ...

This is precisely why IAF Chief was disappointed apart from only shown 5 ready when promised 11 (he did not care if they were not with engines - he said at least rest of the craft should be ready).

Even JA Malonkar - The Maverick LCA Tejas Navy test pilot - one the most prolific supporter of LCA Tejas and he himself criticizes services for not having long term planning and innovation - is aghast at the way Astra is getting integrated with Tejas.

Astra and its pylon has been designed for Sukhoi 30 MKI. Since Pylon is designed for MkI - Pylon can only be fitted to Tejas via Adapter. And the way arrangement is I think it can only induce more drag? Since Tejas prog was of much greater vintage than Astra, so while pylon development - why they could not think of universal adapter - and design another pylon for Tejas before hand ? Granted Astra was being tested first MKI - but they had enough time to start new Astra pylon development long back.

Right now it basically means LCA MK1A flies without BVR and modern CCM missile. Thats a big miss!

 

[Spitfire IX]

HAL has set up a new production line in Nashik for Mk-1As to meet IAF’s growing needs. The firm says it can build 16 Mk-1As every year in Bengaluru, and the Nashik line will help it ramp up production to 24 jets.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/delivering-lca-mk-1a-key-not-countering-criticism-hal-chief-101739818403513.html

I won't believe 16 a year coming out of Bengaluru until I see it. If HAL can do that, great. If they fall short, I think that the customer for Tejas Mk2 (IAF) should insist that GOI takes production of Mk2 away from HAL. IAF's job is to defend India, not to defend India as well or as badly as HAL allows.

 

[AbRaj]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/delivering-lca-mk-1a-key-not-countering-criticism-hal-chief-101739818403513.html

I won't believe 16 a year coming out of Bengaluru until I see it. If HAL can do that, great. If they fall short, I think that the customer for Tejas Mk2 (IAF) should insist that GOI takes production of Mk2 away from HAL. IAF's job is to defend India, not to defend India as well or as badly as HAL allows.

HAL’s priorities and Country’s priorities are not in alignment anymore. HAL’s is to defend the money-flow to its top babus as salaries and pensions and easy life for their families. Job security is what Babus at HAL is defending right now. Rest of the matter have been left to the God.They want HAL to be the high paying MNAREGA for them.

 

[Patriots]

View: https://x.com/AjayshreeSamby3/status/1891849753253543977

 

[Suryavanshi]

View: https://x.com/AjayshreeSamby3/status/1891849753253543977

I like this.

Finally we have some active discussion about procurements in the mainstream media

 

[Patriots]

View: https://x.com/amanroutray7/status/1891857897551810589/photo/1

 

[Anants]

View: https://x.com/amanroutray7/status/1891857897551810589/photo/1

So HAL, ADA expected IAF to use LCA with 70's vintage weapons that too in 2014? And they were crying aloud that o why o why IAF changing requirements?

Come on now - all these years we have been defending HAL/ADA and shall continue to do so but such lethargy and irresponsibleness is squarely to be blamed on ADA and HAL. They should have started making amendments before hand. Though we can grant leeway that it was their first aircraft development program from scratch. They would have learnt lessons and formulated processes and procedures?

 

[Kattar]

View: https://x.com/rahulsinghx/status/1891719316678082571/photo/2


Key takeaways
1. 3 mk1a s are ready and flew with cat B engine
2. Astra firing tejas in 2 weeks

HAL factored in GE`s lead times and placed engine order for 83 birds even before IAF / GoI signed off the formal contract !!!!!!!!

HAL is taking less time to manufacture entire fighter aircraft that is is being continuously upgraded (specs being changes, requirements and new capabilities being regularly added) than it takes GE to manufacture a well-established, high volume, iterative version of its engine.

 

[vicky]

View: https://youtu.be/q8N8rLV1cto?si=tS8NhpFJE0UnlplA

 

[vampyrbladez]

LCA Tejas MK1A test fired Astra MK1.


View: https://x.com/Kuntal__biswas/status/1892454001955733802

 

[Anants]

LCA Tejas MK1A test fired Astra MK1.


View: https://x.com/Kuntal__biswas/status/1892454001955733802

Mate its rendering

 

[Azaad]

View: https://twitter.com/KesariDhwaj/status/1891893056166822198?s=19

LCA and story of SQR change

The former IAF Chief, ACM V R Chaudhari (Retd) mentioned that two aspects of SQR were changed during LCA's lifetime. He briefly mentions about missile type change.

This is the story of missile type change -

- The outer-most pylon of LCA was designed to carry R-60 aka AA-8 missile without any weight margin for further missile upgrade.

- So, when the IAF said R-73 or AA-11 'Archer' will be standard missile, it led to wing root requiring strengthening because the pylon was not designed to carry this weight.

- Imagine the horror if LCA had gone live with ability to carry only AA-8 weight class missile on its outermost pylon?

- For reference, R-60 weighed 44 kgs while AA-11 weighs 105kg, Python weighs 103+ kg and AASRAM weighs 88kg.

- It would have never have been able to carry anything except R-60 and would have had to undergo modification after entering service!

View: https://twitter.com/FighterPiloting/status/1892053922174382491?s=19


View: https://twitter.com/amanroutray7/status/1891898463891181913?s=19

 

[Nutcracker]

Mate its rendering

In Kuntal's word...
REAL CGI

 

[Spitfire IX]

I find it difficult to keep up, given all the different reports emanating from India that quote 'informed anonymous sources'. What is the current date reported by an identified, credible source for delivery of the first F404-IN20?

Did I read somewhere that the first 2 engines are undergoing pre-delivery tests?

I ask because I am curious - along with many others - as to when IAF will receive its first Mk1A.

PS A question about 'Indian English', please: does saying "It will arrive by 2030" mean "It will arrive before 2030" or does it mean "It will arrive before or during 2030."? For people using the vernacular used in England (eg me), it means "It will arrive before 2030".

 

[Anants]

PS A question about 'Indian English', please: does saying "It will arrive by 2030" mean "It will arrive before 2030" or does it mean "It will arrive before or during 2030."? For people using the vernacular used in England (eg me), it means "It will arrive before 2030".

Could mean either

 

[Nutcracker]

I find it difficult to keep up, given all the different reports emanating from India that quote 'informed anonymous sources'. What is the current date reported by an identified, credible source for delivery of the first F404-IN20?

Did I read somewhere that the first 2 engines are undergoing pre-delivery tests?

I ask because I am curious - along with many others - as to when IAF will receive its first Mk1A.

PS A question about 'Indian English', please: does saying "It will arrive by 2030" mean "It will arrive before 2030" or does it mean "It will arrive before or during 2030."? For people using the vernacular used in England (eg me), it means "It will arrive before 2030".

Includes 2030.