LCA Mark II will immediately replace Mig-29 in IAF: Air Marshal

[randomradio]

I must admit; I need to agree with you and as quite an interesting coincidence a few weeks ago, I had a very interesting conversation with someone with very close contacts to the IAF, who was in the session at the time when it came to the table that the Mk.1 version will not achieve the required performance:

In a nutshell, according to his report, the conversation went on something like this:


IAF: the current version of the Tejas will not achieve the required performances ...

HAL / ADA: No, it will

IAF: No, it will not, XYZ is missing ...

HAL / ADA: ok, we will install, it is in planning ...

IAF: Well, if it meets the requirements, we will introduce it, but what about weight increase due to all these systems? The current powerplant is too weak.

HAL / ADA: ok, ... we will solve.

IAF: how?

HAL / ADA: We just take the F414 instead of the F404.

IAF: but that will require a new or redesign of the fuselage, etc.

HAL / ADA: No, it will not ... the USA did that in their F-18 too.

IAF: Yes, but that's what made the Hornet the Super Hornet, a de facto new aircraft.

HAL / ADA: Well, then this will be the Mk. 2.

IAF: but you can not just install a significantly different engine, this requires a redesign due to the other mass relations, distribution of forces, center of gravity, ....

HAL / ADA: ... we will solve

....

As I said, the conversation is only very briefly reflected and possibly somewhat exaggerated formulated, but his tenor was at the end: This is the total fiasco, as in India is generally the attitude: We can do it and we do it differently ... and also if there are existing solutions and concepts that have proven themselves, we consciously do it differently.

That conversation is applicable since 2005. It was known since then that the Mk1 will fall short. That's why we now have the Mk1A and Mk2. The problem with Mk1 is, the entire aircraft with fuel and weapons is 1.3 to 1.4T heavier than envisaged. This was identified very early into the program. So this is what I was referring to, that the Mk1 design during the time was more of a TD than a fighter jet. That's why we had a competition between GE and Eurojet, which the F414 won in 2010.

But, of course, the Mk2 has changed since then. It was originally supposed to be the "Mk1 done right" program. Now it's a proper Gripen/M-2000 replacement. The Mk1A is now the "Mk1 done right" program.

As for Dassault in 1987 (1985 actually), they were only present as consultants, the basic design itself is Indian. Had Dassault been involved in the program, it wouldn't have taken so long. The early airframes had so many defects that only a first time developer could have done it, so no chance for Dassault to be involved. Also, after we rejected Dassault's offer of their analog FBW in 1987, they backed out of the program. The aircraft underwent an evolution after that, and out came the jet in the current avatar.

The same with LM. We only used their design facilities since we did not have our own. After the nuke tests, they kicked us out and the FBW was reworked again in India. Although the F-16 test bed did help validate the FBW.

In his opinion, the most symptomatic example of this "we do it differently" was at the time the decision for LCA's unusual wing geometry. Original Dornier had submitted a small delta-canard proposal and MBB a pure delta/double delta with - let's say casual - normal wing geometry, in the sense that the double delta wing has a low sweep outside ... only when Dassault in 1987 took over the development it evolved into the current design, where - according to my source - it was actually discussed, you have to turn around the change of sweep, because "we will do it differently"!

The cranked arrow design was studied and discarded. Even a canard version with cranked arrow was validated and discarded.

ADA went through a lot of designs before they finally decided to go for the current one. They chose it due to its simplicity, and the fact that it met IAF's performance requirements. But that also meant no real future potential, hence the redesign on the Mk2.

Where ADA really failed was the choice of the engine. They should have prepared the jet to handle the F414 right from the start.

 

[LASER1]

new coffins will be replacing old coffins.

Those living in the glass house.....

 

[sathya]

Great news for Pakistan. new coffins will be replacing old coffins. 20 years later india is finally inducting it

Sorry to burst your bubble .
Its actually you who are mass producing it.
Contrary to your general procedure, even started hiding crashes .