Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Just Returned from Flugwerft Schleissheim, Deutsches Museum ( Airplane section Deutsche Museum ) at Oberschleissheim, Munich.
There, X-31 ,an experimental plane to explore thrust vectoring, is displayed. The vectoring on it is attained by just 3 flaps at the end of the nozzle and the result, as shown in the video of Paris air show, is amazing.
Hope to see such thrust vectoring mechanism in Tejas-II. The Flaps seems to be attached separately at the end of the nozzle , but the control were in built in the Flight control programme. Can this or similar mechanism be attached as an "add-on" on any plane e.g Tejas-I or Mirage 2000 ( with updation of the flight control programme) ?
Also on display is a beautiful HF-24 Marut.
The Germans offered us TVC with the EJ 200 engine for LCA MK2, not the one of the X31, but the one of the EF. We selected the cheaper and more proven alternative, possibly because the Kaveri - Snecma deal is still the long term choice and some reports suggest that we are already working on TVC for this future engine, the question is only if it is meant for AMCA alone, or if LCA could get it too.
Just Returned from Flugwerft Schleissheim, Deutsches Museum ( Airplane section Deutsche Museum ) at Oberschleissheim, Munich.
There, X-31 ,an experimental plane to explore thrust vectoring, is displayed. The vectoring on it is attained by just 3 flaps at the end of the nozzle and the result, as shown in the video of Paris air show, is amazing.
Hope to see such thrust vectoring mechanism in Tejas-II. The Flaps seems to be attached separately at the end of the nozzle , but the control were in built in the Flight control programme. Can this or similar mechanism be attached as an "add-on" on any plane e.g Tejas-I or Mirage 2000 ( with updation of the flight control programme) ?
Also on display is a beautiful HF-24 Marut.
Actually, without Russian assitance. LCA will never get to fight in the air. Right now it has no hope. While JF-17 numbers have increased from 150 to 200-250. Thats what you call a successful aircraft.
Here we go,
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is negotiating with M/s SNECMA, France for co-development and co-production of Kaveri Aero Engine for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-II.
The Light Combat Aircraft, ‘Tejas’ LSP-7 to be flown in the first fortnight of December will be in the final configuration of the fighter plane and “almost close” to series production, scheduled to begin by the middle of 2012.
Earlier, there was an update in each of the Limited Series Production (LSP) aircraft. LSP-7 will have all the functionalities and the aircraft has been earmarked for user evaluation by the Indian Air Force (IAF), P.S. Subramanyam, Director, Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Programme Director (Combat Aircraft) told The Hindu here on Friday.
He was here to attend the 22 {+n} {+d} annual conference of Indian Nuclear Society- INSAC 2011.
He said so far 11 Tejas aircraft had performed 1,740 flights and crossed 1,000 flying hours. After the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC), the LCA was in the “intermediate milestone’ stage — between IOC-2 and Final Operational Clearance (FOC). In the meantime, it had more achievements as some more weapons were being integrated and flying envelope expanded to a higher degree of angle of attack.
Weapon trials were successfully completed in Jaisalmer recently and were currently underway in Goa, where tests on functionality of the radar were also being conducted.
Mr. Subramanyam said the first naval variant of LCA would be test-flown before year-end and ground runs have already started. There was a lot of challenge with the landing gear for naval variant as it had to land on the short runways of an aircraft carrier as also take off from there. It had features of ski jump takeoff and arrested landing.
The preliminary design had been completed for the Mark-II variant of LCA for both Air Force and Navy. It would be more maintenance-friendly, its acceleration, climb rates would be faster, turn rates better with small take-off distances. It would be fitted with a high-powered GE 414 engine, which would be integrated on both Air Force and Naval variants.
On the plans to build fifth generation medium combat aircraft, Mr. Subramanyam said the feasibility studies would be completed by March 2012. It would be a low-observable stealth aircraft and have the capability to go deep into the enemy territory undetected by long-range radars. It would be equipped with advanced avionics and conformal weapons within the fuselage.
Since it was planned to have the first flight in seven years, certain concepts of the 6 {+t} {+h} generation combat aircraft would also be incorporated. It was likely to be 10 years for it to get into production for replacing MIG-29 and Mirage fighters.
The photo above, taken at the National Aerospace Laboratory's wind-tunnel, shows testing this year of a Tejas model with various stores configurations. With LCA Tejas final operational clearance slipping to 2014, and the programme still struggling to meet performance specs for the second phase of initial operational clearance (IOC-2), the aircraft project has dipped into another difficult phase. According to sources, several requirements (that were watered down during IOC-1 in January), are still to be met. The parameters include wake penetration certification, all weather clearance (ironically, tests were stalled because of the monsoon earlier this year) and lightning clearance. Earlier this month, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne said again that final operational clearance was delayed by a full year -- moving down to 2014. Meanwhile, the first prototype of the LCA-Navy is preparing for a first flight -- hopefully before New Year.