Mh, why did we achieved IOC yet? Because we changed the indigenous engine with a foreign one, because we changed the indigenous radar with a foreign one, because we used foreign cosultancy to fix weight problems, as well redesigning NLCA.
Even Gripen has foreign engine. Did that prevent it from gaining IOC? Also, Sweden has no aero-engine R&D efforts. Their security scenario(under umbrella of west) doesn't require it.
LCA's RADAR is home-made MMR. "AESA for LCA" project was sanctioned only in Dec 2009, with development variant to be available by 2013. Western countries started it decades back. So, if DRDO comes out with first AESA flight on LCA before 2015, it will be world record!
Also, IAF is adamant about "latest" AESA and not ready to proceed in steps & begin with whats available, which is what R&D is about - Go in steps, stand behind your TEAM, support them till the end. Even USAF or Europeans didn't attempt to go AESA in first attempt. If IAF lacks maturity to understand R&D profiles & technology roadmaps, we can't blame others for that. A mature approach would have been to induct whats available in 100-120 so domestic production facilities get setup and industry gets a boost. Then, in next step, they can talk about AESA and all gizmos.
Biggest problem with domestic R&D has been IAF's immature attitude of demanding copy of exactly what West has. They are simply not ready to accept what they get and allow R&D to move in steps, which is normal in west and european R&D houses which are century old now. IAF behaves like a kid who want to grow up fast, but immature enough to not understand that there is no shortcut!
If IAF acts in more mature way, and stand behind the team, outcomes will be much better. R&D is all about sticking and perseverance. But IAF's attitude is - "we won't touch it. we are too lazy to participate in programe. that's not my job. we prefer roaming around in foreign airshows".
IAF has a lot to learn from PLAF and USAF, in terms of maturity. Its still far away from that stage.
If we had gone for co-developments with Elta, or Snecma for radar and engines from the start and not only when the indigenous developments failed, we would see squads of LCAs already inducted and flying over Indian skies! Same would be the case if we had used Elta 2032 and RD 93 engines as ready and available stop gaps, till indigenous counterparts would have been developed and mature, but we didn't and hoped that we can do it alone. But hope and overestimating our capabilities will lead us nowhere, a sad lesson that we learned through the LCA program.
My dear, life is all about learning & sticking to your efforts. Even first 20 of american GE aero-engines failed and blasted on testbeds. Did they start crying or whining? No.
You have two options in life - Live in past, cry about it, be pessimistic, beat your chest
OR be positive, humble, act in mature way and stand behind your team.
So far, IAF has failed to show a mature leadership. Same is the case with Army. Navy is far more mature and have better approach to things. They focus on realities rather than living in past and being cynical, pessimistic and showing "devdas" mentality.
IAF = Indian army = Devdas.
Indian Navy(IN) = A mature leadership, quite comparable to USN.
