HAL-SAAB likely to upgrade Tejas

[dadeechi]

I have been confirming this for couple of months now that SAAB would be engaged on the LCA projects. Here it is

IAF would have

1) 126+ RAFALEs under MII project (MMRCA)

2) 200+ F-16s under DTTI

3) SAAB would be partnering on the LCA projects



HAL-SAAB likely to upgrade Tejas
Source: The Hitavada Date: 01 May 2016 11:55:40

By Kaushik Bhattacharya,

NAGPUR,

Apr 30,

HINDUSTAN Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is planning to do joint venture with Swedish aerospace and defence company SAAB for the upgradation of indigenously developed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to Tejas Mark-IA soon. SAAB will most likely insist on a Government-to-Government deal whether to collaborate with HAL on upgrading the Tejas LCA.

A team of SAAB is on a tour to India to discuss about the potential partnership. This Swedish aerospace company is trying to insist India to include their front-line fighter jet Gripen in Indian arsenal. According to sources in Ministry of Defence, “SAAB’s Gripen is a good front-line fighter jet and India needs more than 300 aircrafts of the LCA type hence exploratory talks are on with SAAB to see if they canbe a technical partner for the upgraded Tejas.”

Indian defence officials have repeatedly spoken about a possible joint venture with a foreign fighter manufacturer to upgrade the Tejas LCA over the last year–inparticular fitting the fighter jet with the more powerful General Electric F414-GE-IN56 engine.

The LCA Mark-I version is powered by a General Electric F404- GE-IN20 turbofan engine. However, his plan appears to have been abandoned for the Tejas Mark-IA since it would have required a complete redesign of the aircraft. SAAB displayed their technologies and specially the capabilities of Gripen during the recently held Def expo 2016 in Goa where this Swedish company offered Gripen to India along with Tejas. Keeping this in mind, Ministry of Defence is planning to collaborate with SAAB for upgradation of LCA.

The Tejas LCA is a supersonic, single-seat,single-engine multirole light fighter ircraft,which has been under development for the past three decades. It has been co-developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency in cooperation with HAL to replace the IAF’saging fleet of MiG-21a nd MiG- 23 aircraft. However, the Mark-I version of the Tejas fighter jet is suffering from numerous technical issues Including inadequate electronic warfare capabilities,amal functioning on board radar system, as well as reduced internal-fuel capacity among a host ofotherissues.The improved version of the fighter jet is supposed to fix all these technical issues.

http://thehitavada.com/Encyc/2016/5/1/HAL-SAAB-likely-to-upgrade-Tejas.aspx

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

Still waiting for the answer , what does SAAB brings in ?!

 

[dadeechi]

Still waiting for the answer , what does SAAB brings in ?!

SAAB - Bas naam hi kafi hai.

 

[Hellfire]

Still waiting for the answer , what does SAAB brings in ?!

Less of floundering idiocy that has bedeviled LCA project since I was in my shorts , balance in the overall policy by maintaining status quo by giving all willing partners something ..... just to name 02 major achievements!

 

[MilSpec]

Still waiting for the answer , what does SAAB brings in ?!

SAAB as an organisation (atleast SAAB Auto) was notorious to be head strong on the best design for safety and performance principles (watch the end of saab video of top gear uk to know what i mean by this). If SAAB Aero business inherits any of such traits, the Mk2 Re-design might feature a different planiform profile, optimized aerofoil, heck maybe even a set of fore-plane. If the news is accurate I will be looking forward to the what happens to the project.

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

Less of floundering idiocy that has bedeviled LCA project since I was in my shorts , balance in the overall policy by maintaining status quo by giving all willing partners something ..... just to name 02 major achievements!

Willing partners ? For willing partners, SAAB has already received much , I again say what does " SAAB " have ( not what SAAB uses from 3rd parties ) which it can impart to us and we don't have it ??

SAAB - Bas naam hi kafi hai.

Naam se jung nahi jeete jaate !

SAAB as an organisation (atleast SAAB Auto) was notorious to be head strong on the best design for safety and performance principles (watch the end of saab video of top gear uk to know what i mean by this). If SAAB Aero business inherits any of such traits, the Mk2 Re-design might feature a different planiform profile, optimized aerofoil, heck maybe even a set of fore-plane. If the news is accurate I will be looking forward to the what happens to the project.

Mk2? First let them come up with their own Gripen NG , mk2 equivalent.

Very high safety standards means a lots of cost , and its unnecessary ! Standard ones are enough !

 

[dadeechi]

Still waiting for the answer , what does SAAB brings in ?!

SAAB - Bas naam hi kafi hai.

Naam se jung nahi jeete jaate !

Okay. On a serious note, the following are some of the items of interest

1) Make LCA more maintenance friendly - LRU arrangement, Wiring etc

2) Introduce advanced manufacturing processes and techniques like 3D printing and use of ceramic matrix composites (refer below patent details and the video)


http://www.google.com/patents/US7758715

http://www.google.com/patents/US20120074265

http://www.google.com/patents/US20090110836

 

[MilSpec]

Very high safety standards means a lots of cost , and its unnecessary ! Standard ones are enough !

Any family in the forces?

2) Introduce advanced manufacturing processes and techniques like 3D printing and use of ceramic matrix composites (refer below patent details and the video)

Agree with the essence of your post, but just would like to point out additive manufacturing especially in critical areas of airframe is a big no no. It's a great RP technique but as a manufacturing process, a lot is still left desired. Check why j31 prototype was moved with it wings attached on the flatbed and you will get what I am referring to.

 

[dadeechi]

Any family in the forces?


Agree with the essence of your post, but just would like to point out additive manufacturing especially in critical areas of airframe is a big no no. It's a great RP technique but as a manufacturing process, a lot is still left desired. Check why j31 prototype was moved with it wings attached on the flatbed and you will get what I am referring to.

True but I just wanted to highlight for the people who may think that SAAB has nothing to offer because it uses a US engine and Selex ES' AESA, IRST and IFF.

SAAB does have decent manufacturing processes & technologies under it's belt.

 

[SQ8]

Upgrade being a euphemism for fix or as the fanboys call it; make it to the current IAF specifications.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

IAF specifications are very high

They want Tejas to knock out an F 16 which it WILL after an AESA upgrade

AESA plus HOBS R 73 ; Derby BVRAAM ; EL 8222 ASPJ pod is enough to
defeat F 16

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

Any family in the forces.

One blood relative in JAP. But my point remains , the excessive and simply very high costs for too much safety eats up the important thing, " Basic Safety equipment of our land forces ".

Once that's fulfilled I am OK with making LCA more safe with SAABs help which failed to do the same for its own Gripens.

Okay. On a serious note, the following are some of the items of interest

1) Make LCA more maintenance friendly - LRU arrangement, Wiring etc

2) Introduce advanced manufacturing processes and techniques like 3D printing and use of ceramic matrix composites (refer below patent details and the video)


http://www.google.com/patents/US7758715

http://www.google.com/patents/US20120074265

http://www.google.com/patents/US20090110836

I wonder if the SAAB, is so good at being maintenance friendly , why are the South African Gripens are grounded ? Apparently when South Africa bough them , they did buy service of SAAB for the upkeep of their fleet, but we now find the situation opposite to what was promised!

On 3D printing techniques , if we really want help , logic and sense says go to the best ! The US currently has a 38 percent of the total worldwide 3D printing industry market share. Next is Japan with 9.7 percent, followed by Germany with 9.4 percent, China with 8.7 percent, the United Kingdom with 4.2 percent, Italy with 3.8 percent, France with 3.2 percent and South Korea with 2.3 percent. The remaining figure is shared by other countries where 3D printing is still in relative infancy.

I don't find the mention of SAAB above , do you ?

I don't think learning 3D printing from an infant in 3D printing and that too for fighter jets is a good idea !

 

[Immortan.Joe]

Is this paid NEWS?

Not that I am against SAAB and consider them or their products as crap, but this NEWS of SAAB helping India with Tejas does not make any sense. Why would a company try to make its direct rival (LCA vs Gripen) better?

Also helping on mk1A also does not make any sense. There are no aerodynamic changes being envisioned in mk1A , and only design change is probably reduction in weight of landing gear. Major changes in mk1A are in its avionics. So why would we need any/much help from SAAB for that? Isn't whole idea of mk1A is to improve mk1 in areas which would not need too much change so that it it would get off drawing board much faster than mk2 which would incorporate major changes.

 

[AMCA]

Upgrade being a euphemism for fix or as the fanboys call it; make it to the current IAF specifications.

For a force that even rejected the Eurofigter, its clear the expectations are high!

 

[Sinnerman108]

If Tejas was 100% indigenous and original super design,
then why is Hindu-stan running around and gathering all the partners to "contribute" in it ?

The engines, avionics etc etc ...