The Mk2 is gone bro. The air chief has confirmed that they won't be buying it.
He says 4 years and a squadron will be delivered.
LSA has a huge IWB. It's air to air loadout matches the PAK FA, 16 missiles. LCA can barely carry 4 without sacrificing range and still get outranged on LSA's internal fuel alone.
Read that thread, it's 3 pages of practically an interview.
I have read it... And I feel most of it is fiction...
See it's a light stealth aircraft..
He says so many things present in it which seems impossible in a LIGHT stealth aircraft
1. One Internal central bay and two side bays holding six missiles... And then eight external hard points and two wingtips.... A total of 16 hardpoints...Even su30/rafalr don't have 16 hard points.. Having eight hard points with three internal bay for a light aircraft seems impossible. Even PaKFA has six hard points.. Four external hard points with three IWB is more feasible for a light aircraft.
2. Payload of 7.5 tons ...for a light aircraft is too much... It won't remain a light aircraft then.
3. Ej230 will be more fuel consumer than F404/414... So it needs more internal fuel if needs to be having combat radius in range of rafale.. About minimum of 5-6 ton fuel..
4. Airframe to carry 5-6 ton fuel and 7.5 ton of payload ..that is total of 12.5-13.5 ton...it needs to be decent big and strong ..a minimum weight of 7.5-8 tons with Max use of composites.. Hence total weight will be about 20-21 tons... At this weight it is no longer a light aircraft but a medium aircraft
4. It's single engine... Ej230 gives wet thrust of 102 KN... With 20 ton weight it's highly underpowered.. It won't supercruise.
5. Central internal weapon bay of size of PAKFA... How can u create a weapon bay of size of PAKFA and still make it a smaller plane and call it light? 4. 25 M of IWB is too big for a small light weight aircraft.
PAKFA is 19 M in length while LCA is 14M
That why I felt the specs are all haywire..... I feel it's impossible to achieve in a light aircraft.... Whatever any one will say .
If the designer would have said that the load will be 4-5 tons, fuel range 4-5 tons.. And combat range of 600-700 kms.. And all up weight of 15 ton or so.. With four hard points externally. Then I might have agreed..
Lastly, going to beijing and come back with su30... Joke of the week...
U are comparing combat radius of light fighter with heavy fighter..
It's too good to be true... It looks like a typical DRDO work culture... Speak more than u can achieve..
@Abingdonboy @Ankit Kumar 002 @randomradio @Picdelamirand-oil @Taygibay