HAL gears up for first flight of Tejas LSP-8 ,Tyagi says lines decked up fo

[Anony]

The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) long and frustrating wait to own the home-grown combat fighter might be finally over with the Limited Series Production (LSP-8) version of Tejas completing two crucial engine ground runs (EGR) successfully. An elated Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) chairman R K Tyagi told Express on Wednesday that his boys are working overtime to ensure that the LSP-8 hits the skies soon.

Battered by the media, bruised by IAF and butchered by desi aerospace gurus for unprecedented time and cost overruns, Team Tejas had to face the music from all quarters, for over a decade. Tyagi, who took over the reins of HAL last year, said that LSP-8 would make its maiden flight some time in February. “The aircraft is almost akin to the series production (SP) standard aircraft. We have upgraded the systems to incorporate the feedback from the ground/flight evaluation teams, who dealt with earlier LSP variants,” Tyagi said. It will be the 13th aircraft from the Tejas project flight-line to take to the skies, and along with LSP-7, the IAF pilots should soon begin their much-awaited user evaluation trials.

Two preliminary EGRs of LSP-8 have been completed so far for the first time by HAL personnel and certified by National Flight Test Centre. The aircraft is currently undergoing final system checks, to be followed by further inspections by certifying agencies. “Then we will have final ground runs, leading to low speed taxi trials (LSTT), high speed taxi trials (HSTT) and the actual first flight,” Tyagi said. “My team is really jubilant and we would soon commence the work on series production,” Tyagi added.

He said with most of the aircraft system performance reaching almost desired level of expectation, Team Tejas in HAL would now be able to concentrate on stabilizing the production line. “The production line of Tejas at HAL has been moved to a new premises with a built-up area of around 28,000 sqm of Hangars, engineering and administrative blocks. Upgrade and augmentation of production tooling, which is expected to be 2.5 times of prototype requirements, is underway to enhance the rate of production and to expedite delivery of the aircraft,” Tyagi said. HAL promises to add more teeth to IAF by delivering 2 Squadrons of Tejas in the next five years.

 

[SwatCat]

Good news

Going by the specs. LCA mark 2 is a true 4.5 gen fighter jet.

 

[Skull and Bones]

HAL promises to add more teeth to IAF by delivering 2 Squadrons of Tejas in the next five years.

That makes a delivery of 8 aircraft per year, too slow production rate. It has to be around 12-16.

 

[Cherokee]

Good news

Going by the specs. LCA mark 2 is a true 4.5 gen fighter jet.

Well to be brutally honest , That's not the case and cant see it happening in the near future .

 

[SwatCat]

Well to be brutally honest , That's not the case and cant see it happening in the near future .

There is an AESA radar under development and India already integrated 4 gen EW and other systems on su 30 MKI a decade ago.

So there is a high level chance that India will roll our 4.5 gen LCA mark 2 within a year, just like they rolled out Arjun mark 2.

That makes a delivery of 8 aircraft per year, too slow production rate. It has to be around 12-16.

Yes we need this aircraft in hundreds to replace MIG 21.

 

[Cherokee]

There is an AESA radar under development and India already integrated 4 gen EW and other systems on su 30 MKI a decade ago.

So there is a high level chance that India will roll our 4.5 gen LCA mark 2 within a year, just like they rolled out Arjun mark 2.

Lets see but i won't count Chickens till they hatch and specially in the case of LCA .

 

[Skull and Bones]

Yes we need this aircraft in hundreds to replace MIG 21.

Not only Mig-21s. Post 2017, we'll have to think about replacing Mig-27. Keep in mind, there hasn't been any replacement for our retired Mig-23 yet.

 

[SwatCat]

Lets see but i won't count Chickens till they hatch and specially in the case of LCA .

Things are changing fast in HAL, there will be good surprises from Indian defense industry in the coming years

 

[arp2041]

That makes a delivery of 8 aircraft per year, too slow production rate. It has to be around 12-16.

Just the starting nos. when the production line will mature, i m sure that HAL will deliver close to 20 Tejas/year by 2018 or so, same was the case with the MKI production line.

+ you are missing the point that after 2016 or so IAF & IN will together get around 50-60 4++ gen fighters every year with each LCA Tejas, NLCA, Rafale, Super Sukhois, mig 29k/mmrca being either built at a HAL facility or procured off the shelf from Russia/France.

 

[Paan Singh]

if they are delivering 8 Ac per year? then wat will happen to rafale deal?

Still we have no production line n bla bla stuff


God saves rafale deal ..

 

[arp2041]

Not only Mig-21s. Post 2017, we'll have to think about replacing Mig-27. Keep in mind, there hasn't been any replacement for out retired Mig-23 yet.

Not THINK, it's Final, said by ACM himself, by 2017 all mig 21s (150) & mig-27s (100) will be phased out (total 250). In replacement, we will get around 40 Rafale by that time + 40 LCA tejas + 100 sukhois = 180 ac. We have to think about nos. as we will be still short of 70 ac.

@Abingdonboy @sancho @ anyone

Pls explain about the changes made in every LSPs over time. LSP-8 i guess would be the final LSP based on MK-1 production variant.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Not THINK, it's Final, said by ACM himself, by 2017 all mig 21s (150) & mig-27s (100) will be phased out (total 250). In replacement, we will get around 40 Rafale by that time + 40 LCA tejas + 100 sukhois = 180 ac. We have to think about nos. as we will be still short of 70 ac.

@Abingdonboy @sancho @ anyone

Pls explain about the changes made in every LSPs over time. LSP-8 i guess would be the final LSP based on MK-1 production variant.

What about Jaguars? I don't see and reason for stretching their service life beyond 2020-22. And by then, our Mig-29s will be at the end of their service life.

And IMHO, Su-30MKIs is not replacing the role of any fighter fighter in the inventory, it's an introduction of a new deep strike platform in the force.

 

[janon]

Not THINK, it's Final, said by ACM himself, by 2017 all mig 21s (150) & mig-27s (100) will be phased out (total 250). In replacement, we will get around 40 Rafale by that time + 40 LCA tejas + 100 sukhois = 180 ac. We have to think about nos. as we will be still short of 70 ac.

@Abingdonboy @sancho @ anyone

Pls explain about the changes made in every LSPs over time. LSP-8 i guess would be the final LSP based on MK-1 production variant.

It doesn't need to be one to one replacement. The 180 aircrafts you mentioned will be much more capable than the 250 aircrafts being replaced. All these are multirole fighters, and can do the work of one mig 21 and mig 27 combined (and then some more). So the combat capability of IAF will only increase, if the said 250 are replaced by the said 180.

But we do need numbers, and that unfortunately won't happen until about 2022.

What about Jaguars? I don't see and reason for stretching their service life beyond 2020-22. And by then, our Mig-29s will be at the end of their service life.

And IMHO, Su-30MKIs is not replacing the role of any fighter fighter in the inventory, it's an introduction of a new deep strike platform in the force.

The newest jags entered service in 2008. That was when the production run ended. The newer ones, with upgrades, can comfortably serve for decades more. They are very potent in the strike role, and are very well modernized. Their only drawback is that they are not multirole.

 

[arp2041]

What about Jaguars? I don't see and reason for stretching their service life beyond 2020-22. And by then, our Mig-29s will be at the end of their service life.

And IMHO, Su-30MKIs is not replacing the role of any fighter fighter in the inventory, it's an introduction of a new deep strike platform in the force.

If you remember, in an earlier Jaguar upgrade thread, i had already made clear that IAF want to retire them b/w 2025 (older ones) to 2030 (newer ones, we have as latest as 2008 ac in inventory).

As for mig-29, it's recent upgrades are for extension of it's service life from current 25 years to 40 years, IAF started inducting them in late 1980s, so again, there plans are for retiring all by 2025+

https://sites.google.com/site/idpsentinel/air-force-projects/fighters/mig-29-upgrade-mig-29upg

The upgrade will allow the IAF to extend the life of the MiG-29 from the present 25 years (and 2,500 hours) to 40 years (3,500 hours).

But this is not cast in stone, if IAF get sufficient replacement of them (in nos.) by that time, without straining the squadron nos. they will surely like to retire them.

As for MKIs are concerned, this is a huge technical leap by IAF where they are replacing every single role fighters with multirole ones, Rafale, FGFA will follow the suit.

 

[Ayush]

finally.