HAL Tejas | Updates, News & Discussions

[justanobserver]

Tejas gets operation clearance

In a major military aviation milestone, India’s homegrown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas on Monday secured the Initial Operation Clearance taking it a step closer towards induction into the IAF.

In a feat that came a decade after the multi-role LCA took to the skies, Defence Minister A.K. Antony handed over the IOC certificate to Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik at the HAL Airport here.

Mr. Antony said the IOC certification would facilitate delivery of the first lot of 20 production standard aircraft to the IAF with assured safety and specified performance before the end of the year.

“This is only the semi-finals”, Mr. Antony said, adding the LCA would enhance national security and build the country’s own fighter aircraft capabilities.

The IOC comes after over three decades of LCA development and research spearheaded by Aeronautical Development Agency, surmounting technology denial regimes.

The light-weight Tejas, presently powered by American GE-F404 engine, has been developed from the scratch, putting India in the select club of nations, including U.S., Russia, France and Britain.

The Flight Test phase of Tejas was initiated in January 2001 and it had completed 1,508 flight tests using various variants, including first two-seater trainer version.

Mr. Antony said, “After crossing a number of challenges and accomplishing a significant series of milestones including weapon delivery, in over 1500 sorties, the country is poised for a major turning point with the declaration of the IOC.”

The development of the aircraft, primarily to replace the ageing Russian MiG-21 and MiG-27 fighter jets, was affected by the U.S. sanctions in 1998 that led to delay in importing some items and developing alternative equipment, since vendor identification and development to production cycle took time.

 

[my name is arya]

well guys we took first step but we have to move lots of steps

i will wait for agni 5

then we will party

 

[pulsar220]

for indians

for our critics

 

[Major Shaitan Singh]

In a major military aviation milestone, India’s homegrown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas on Monday secured the Initial Operation Clearance taking it a step closer towards induction into the IAF.

In a feat that came a decade after the multi-role LCA took to the skies, Defence Minister A.K. Antony handed over the IOC certificate to Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik at the HAL Airport here.

Mr. Antony said the IOC certification would facilitate delivery of the first lot of 20 production standard aircraft to the IAF with assured safety and specified performance before the end of the year.

“This is only the semi-finals”, Mr. Antony said, adding the LCA would enhance national security and build the country’s own fighter aircraft capabilities.

The IOC comes after over three decades of LCA development and research spearheaded by Aeronautical Development Agency, surmounting technology denial regimes.

The light-weight Tejas, presently powered by American GE-F404 engine, has been developed from the scratch, putting India in the select club of nations, including U.S., Russia, France and Britain.

The Flight Test phase of Tejas was initiated in January 2001 and it had completed 1,508 flight tests using various variants, including first two-seater trainer version.

Mr. Antony said, “After crossing a number of challenges and accomplishing a significant series of milestones including weapon delivery, in over 1500 sorties, the country is poised for a major turning point with the declaration of the IOC.”

The development of the aircraft, primarily to replace the ageing Russian MiG-21 and MiG-27 fighter jets, was affected by the U.S. sanctions in 1998 that led to delay in importing some items and developing alternative equipment, since vendor identification and development to production cycle took time.

 

[madooxno9]

TEJAS

 

[sancho]

And apart from the range i want to know about the number of targets it can track and the number of targets it can engage simultaneously plus the output power in watts

From the older brochure:

Performance
Multimode Airborne Fire Control Radar
Air-to-Air detection and tracking range up to 80 NM (~148Km).
Air-to-Ground mapping, High Resolution Mapping
and surface target detection up to 80 NM (~148Km).
Air-to-Sea detection, tracking and classification up
to 160 NM (~296Km).

Physical Characteristics
Weight: 72-100 Kg depending on antenna size.
Power: 2-3 KVA. depending on Transmitter configuration.
Antenna Size: adapted to aircraft nose limitations.

http://www.iai.co.il/sip_storage/FILES/6/27546.pdf


Not sure about the number of targets, but the 2052 AESA officially is given with up to 64 targets, which is very high and could give a hint. The Israelis really know how to make radars and I hope we will choose them as the co-development partner for MK2.

 

[Hulk]

It's a very good news, now next milestone is integration of PGM and BVR.

 

[MST]

One Journalist asked ACM Naik that what are the other aircrafts to which LCA was comparable..?

And he answered " Only one, Gripen -NG in single engined aircraft . We are not upto them but will be on par and even better them in coming years ".

Now its on you what you read between the lines..

What I read between the lines is that the chances of Gripen NG winning MMRCA is now very less

 

[SpArK]

IAF Grudgingly Accepts Tejas IOC, Wants 83 Mk-IIs​

On a painfully sunny day at Bangalore's old HAL airport, India's Tejas light combat aircraft achieved initial operational clearance (IOC) today for induction into the Indian Air Force. With two aircraft to be delivered to the IAF in June and two more by December, the IAF for the first time has full access to the aircraft. But IAF chief Air Chief Marshal PV Naik was visibly more subdued than any of the others today, and despite the supposed sanctity of the ceremony (for some idiotic reason, an MLA and an MP were felicitated instead of the scientists), he chose to give voice to his irritation a few yards away from two Tejases gleaming in the sun -- a fighter and a trainer.

"There are some areas where work still needs to be done. There are aspects that need to be improved. We have agreed to a list of concessions for IOC. But we are sure that ADA will fulfil those by June, with full operational clearance in a couple of years. The refinements we are looking for include wake penetration tests, all weather clearance, lightning clearance, etc. Some parameters have only been partly tested. After all, we've waited a long time for the Tejas. We don't want a partial platform. We want everything fully operational," he said.

Shortly after two Tejases roared into the sky for a quick flight display, Naik went on to describe the Tejas as a "MiG-21++" fighter, and went on to say, "At present it is not a fourth generation aircraft. It will come up, but at present it is not." He also indicated that the Tejas Mk-II would not only be powered by the F414 engine, but would incorporate airframe design changes and newer avionics. A statement issued today by ADA today said that the IAF had projected a need for 83 Tejas Mk-II aircraft (which would give the IAF a fleet of 123 aircraft in total -- far less than projected). The first flight of the Mk-II is scheduled for December 2014. Indigenous content on the Mk-II will be 75 per cent according to the HAL chief.

HAL chairman Ashok Nayak said that the company's capacity to churn out ten Tejas fighters a year could be ramped up if the need arose -- current capacity jointly shared by the Hawk and Tejas lines could be made into a dedicated Tejas line, he said. The unit cost of a Tejas will be between Rs 180-200 crore.

ADA said in a statement that the following would bridge the gap between initial and final operational clearance: integration of beyond visual range weapons, gun, rockets, guided and unguided bombs, and the further expansion of its flight envelope to -3.5 to 8G (-2 to 6G for IOC) and 24-degrees angle of attack (22 for IOC).

 

[SpArK]

 

[1ndy]

it's not a 4th Gen fighter craft: IAF Chief

 

[kingdurgaking]

"There are some areas where work still needs to be done. There are aspects that need to be improved. We have agreed to a list of concessions for IOC. But we are sure that ADA will fulfil those by June, with full operational clearance in a couple of years. The refinements we are looking for include wake penetration tests, all weather clearance, lightning clearance, etc. Some parameters have only been partly tested. After all, we've waited a long time for the Tejas. We don't want a partial platform. We want everything fully operational," he said.

Man still lot of testing is pending... so FCS has to be released for More AoA and G's + weapon testings...

I have a feeling FOC will take some more time..

Is MK-2 work started or it will be taken after FOC?

 

[sancho]

A statement issued today by ADA today said that the IAF had projected a need for 83 Tejas Mk-II aircraft

Kind of strange number isn't? LCA MK1 squadron has 20 fighters, MMRCA 18 and this? Also the engine deal was for 107 x GE 414, so what happen to the other 24?

 

[kingdurgaking]

Kind of strange number isn't? LCA MK1 squadron has 20 fighters, MMRCA 18 and this? Also the engine deal was for 107 x GE 414, so what happen to the other 24?

Might be as benny said.. Are they plugging it into MK1 structure itself??

or it could be for Navy as well

 

[sudhir007]