INTRODUCTION
I was aghast to read the Indian media unashamedly deriding the Tejas fighter and playing along with a foreign new agency concerning the government's decision to induct the indigenously developed LCA Tejas. This piece of yellow journalism was concocted by a French news agency, and you may be aware of the obvious reasons behind planting such a story. The French are obviously peeved the Dassault Rafale does not stand a chance anymore to win more Indian orders. Sure enough, a multi-billion loss for the program which will have severe economic ramifications on the French economy.
Off late, Modi bashers are miffed at the speedy and focused path his government is taking, achieving several goals especially related to defence at a breakneck pace. There are several worms in the country who tries to embarrass PM Modi with gibes and questions and objections. But the PM is committed to India's National Interests and is not swayed or rattled by the constant criticism or other such overtures.
Following the French News Agency report, domestic media joined the bandwagon and reported"Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s forcing the Indian Air Force to include Tejas, light combat aircraft (LCA) under his ambitious scheme Make-in-India, will cause tremendous threat to Air Force, which is looking out for upgradation of its striking capacity and trying for acquisition of Rafale aircrafts from France’s Dassault Aviation SA, will prove dangerous, said media reports quoting Military Circles."
Who are these Military Circle chaps, why are they not coming out in the open and arguing against the LCA, I certainly presume they must be the much harrased and disgruntled UPA spokespersons. These vermin are oblivious to the fact that PM Modi is trying to override the military addiction to foreign arms, which has made India the world's top weapons importer. In the past, these cretins have been incessantly crying foul on the lack of indigenization effort in India's weapons developed at a drop of a hat.
The PM is dead-on in his commitment to infuse momentum to the LCA project, and DRDO officials have rightfully dismissed all anti-Tejas rants, saying the worth of the fighter will be known only after it is produced in large numbers. Let the machine do all the talking.
I am flummoxed to note that if the LCA Tejas is damned as an obsolete fighter, then the entire squadrons of Chinese and Pakistani fighters would qualify as virtual tin cans. For example, the much touted Chinese JF-17 Thunder (often referred to as Blunder is many forums) by the Pakistanis is a Mikoyan MiG-21 in disguise or the J-10B is all but a spruced up Israeli Lavi Fighter which both are decades old.
Having said that, now let us find out why LCA Tejas in its current form is one of the best modern aircraft in the world, with technologies that will not go obsolete for decades.
THE GENESIS OF THE TEJAS
The history of military aviation indicates that light fighters have always been one of the most popular classes of aircraft. Generally lightweight fighters are significantly cheaper and less complex to build than their heavier counterparts. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas "Radiance" is a 4+ generation, multirole light fighter developed by India for both defensive and offensive purposes. India with its expanding economy and its growth in aerospace and other important military technological areas has become a very important and robust criterion to enable the country’s growth in the development of indigenous defense related products.
With ample government support, this industry can grow both commercially and in the technology spectrum. The present NDA government seems determined to cut the policy paralysis, which was the hallmark of the previous UPA government lead by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh & Defense Minister A K Antony. Another invigorating factor is that Modi's Government supports 100% Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and total indigenization in the defense industry. This will augur well to augment the current state of affairs in this sector.
THE TEJAS STORY
The Story of Tejas, is the story of development and maturity of combat aircraft technologies in India. The Tejas program had the twin objectives of designing and developing a state-of-the-art combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force besides bridging the technology gap of many decades in the process. The Tejas is a pure delta wing configuration, with no tail-planes or fore-planes, and a single dorsal fin. It integrates technologies such as relaxed static stability, fly-by-wire flight control system, composite material structures, and a flat rated engine. Accordingly, the critical fourth generation of technologies were identified and demonstrated such as quadruplex digital fly-by-wire control system, all glass cockpit, composite structure and microprocessor based monitoring and control systems.
In addition, open architecture avionics with advanced glass cockpit, hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS), head up display, active matrix multi-function displays and helmet mounted display are integrated into the system. Multi-Mode Radar and electro-optic pod provide advanced sensor capabilities. The weapons load includes conventional bombs and rockets, Laser Guided Bombs, close combat and beyond visual range missiles. The Tejas is also equipped with an integrated electronic warfare suite, complex hydraulics, fuel, environmental, landing gear, brake, nose wheel steering and life support systems.
The country had been placed in comfortable position as far as Tejas was concerned as it was not depended upon any country for life cycle support, maintenance and others because of the technology is indigenous. Tejas boasts of many stealth-aircraft like features. The all weather combat aircraft has been extensively tested in ‘tough’ flying conditions since its maiden test flight in 2001. The Tejas has four variants which are Tejas for Air Force, Tejas Trainer, Tejas Navy and Tejas Navy Trainer. India has also developed a special facility in Goa that mimics the conditions for the Tejas Navy variant to land and take-off from INS Vikrant and Vikramaditya aircraft carriers. The Tejas was cleared in January 2011 for use by the Indian Air Force pilots.
KEY TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED
Some of the key technologies developed ingeniously for the Tejas are:
- Tejas employs Relaxed Static Stability design in its architecture. In aviation, relaxed stability is the tendency of an aircraft to change its attitude and angle of bank on its own accord. An aircraft with relaxed stability will oscillate in simple harmonic motion around a particular attitude at increasing amplitude
- It is equipped with a sophisticated quadruplex digital fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system
- Open Architecture Computer (OAC) designed and developed by ADA, combines the functions of earlier mission computer, display processor, video switching unit, mission preparation and retrieval unit. It is designed based on open system interfaces standards, which provides interoperability, scalability, and portability. OAC drives three multi-function displays, HUD and the helmet-mounted display. This open architecture design will allow the designers to continuously adapt and upgrade Tejas to meet the challenges of modern warfare
- Tejas employs a powerful digital flight control computer (DFCC) comprising of four computing channels, each with its own independent power supply and all housed in a single LRU (Line Replaceable Units)
- Tejas is constructed using aluminium-lithium alloys, carbon-fiber composites (C-FC) and titanium-alloy steels
- The computer interfaces with pilot display systems like the MFDs (Multi Function Display) is through the MIL-STD-1553B multiplex avionics data buses and RS-422 serial links. MIL-STD-1553 is a military standard published by the United States Department of Defense that defines the mechanical, electrical, and functional characteristics of a serial data bus
- Tejas is also to be equipped with an Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST) sensor
- The Electronic Warfare (EW) suite, known as Mayavi (Magician), includes a Radar Warning Receiver (RWR), Missile Approach Warning (MAW) and a Laser Warning Receiver (LWR) system, self-protection jammer, laser warning system and chaff/flare dispenser
- Tejas is equipped with LRDE's 3D Multi-mode radar which uses contemporary ADSP processors, this radar has been superseded by the new 3D Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Fire Control Radar (FCR) and a Synthetic Aperture and Inverse Synthetic Aperture radar
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS
- Tejas has successfully completed more than 2,590 flights without any incident and has participated in Hot Weather, Cold Weather, Iron Fist and Weapon Trials comprising of Bomb releases both in Computer Calculated Release Point (CCRP - Uses GPS for target acquisition and termination) and Continuous Computed Impact Point (CCIP - Uses Radar for target termination) modes.
- R73E missile successful launching in MMR and Helmet Mounted Display Guided Modes.
- Stick Bombing, separation trials of emergency jettison of multiple stores and Drop Tanks were conducted at various locations across India.
- Other notable milestones achieved are Spool Down Engine relight, Envelope expansion up to 24 degrees Angle of Attack, operational readiness platform scramble, Laser guided missions with Litening POD, Fuel System, Brake Management System and General Systems performance.
- Multi-role capability demonstration by simultaneous release of Laser Guided Bombs, Chaff & Flare dispensation and firing of R73E missile within a span of 100 secs. Other important achievements are night flying and wake penetration.
- Advanced Composites development of engine parts, Bypass Duct, Nozzle Flap, Bullet Nose Cone, curing achieved in both autoclave and press processes, indigenous resin development, developed glass transition temperature in excess of 300ºc.
- Indigenous aircraft paint system, characterization to DEF STAN 80-216, BS 2x 33 & 34 and application process fine tuned to Tejas.
- Indigenously developed single trolley multiple operations, shorter flight readiness cycle time, loading trolleys for Drop Tanks, Weapons, Digital Flight Control Computer, Battery, Jet Fuel Starter, Landing Gears etc.
- Realization of Product Life Cycle Management (PLM) - Implementation for all projects, complete product data management across work centers, pipelines and electrical looms data management, synchronization of data, query workflows from design through manufacturing, digital manufacturing and ERP interface, online design query management for faster disposition, real time status dash boards for effective tracking.
- Production Optimization - Introduction of laser tracker, high speed machining, automated drilling and riveting technologies, application of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) concepts, production standard drawings, build quality improvement and product cycle time reduction.
- Strength Test of Leading Edge Vortex Controller (LEVCON) for LCA Navy, successful flight trials with indigenously designed and qualified composite drop tanks, flight flutter tests for operational clean and heavy stores flight envelope expansion.
- Water Tightness Tests, Lightning Test Facility and configured and commissioned Automatic Cable Harness Tester.
- Production standard Digital Mock up (DMu) including system pipelines and electrical looms, capabilities like Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), analysis and assembly sequencing introduced.
- Qualification of indigenous autoclave consumables like pressure sensitive tapes, vacuum bag sealants and release films for Carbon/Epoxy system.
- The technical publications and flight manuals have already been delivered to the IAF.
- The first prototype of the LCA Tejas Naval Version - LCA NP-1 completed its maiden flight as part of the carrier compatibility tests at the shore-based test facility in Goa
- Tejas will be participating in Iron Fist in 2016 and will demonstrate the BVR (Beyond Visual Range) missile launching and stick bombing capabilities with tandem bomb carrier in swing role. We can certainly envisage Tejas to don the IAF colours during the IAF Day celebrations in 2016 with at least five aircraft. Only inducted platforms perform at AF Day celebrations
- The relevant flight tests for completion of the Final Operational Clearance (FOC), tops ADA's agenda now. Towards this the design and development work has already been completed. The aircraft integration and flight testing is on schedule. The BVR is likely to get released with MMR (Multi-Mode Radar) integrated with quartz radome by March 2016.
The obvious benefits one derives from developing critical high technologies indigenously will enable the forces to have on-call equipment availability in case of any exigencies. This will not only benefit a particular program but will also have a snowballing effect on future programs and have considerable commercial spin-offs as well. The development of Tejas is just but one of the few developments that India has undertaken, there are several other milestones achieved in developing critical technologies for the armed forces.
However, the LCA program was predicated on several critical technologies and primary among them was the propulsion unit. The Kaveri GTX-35VS engine development has been slow and beset with unpredictable problems. As an illustration, Snecma of France with half a century of experience in developing various kinds of engines took more than 13 years to successfully bring the M-88 turbofan into production. Similarly, China has been struggling to develop a viable turbofan engine of its own, it has managed to reverse engineer and produce most of the parts of the Russia's NPO-Saturn AL-31 domestically for the WS-10A program, but is encountering problems marked by technological and performance inadequacies to produce the all important turbine blades, which is now being imported from Russia. Likewise, the Shenyang WS-10 a turbofan engine which is knock-off of the CFM56 imported from America was found to lack the performance needed to equip modern fighters and was never used to power an aircraft.
Former Director-General of DRDO Avinash Chander admitted in an interview that there have been delays, and that the DRDO is not 'much off the mark' compared to the average time cycle required to develop such an aircraft. "The type of time cycle for such an aircraft - from the drawing board to field is normally twenty years. We are not much off the mark," he said. Contrary to popular belief, it was only in 1993 that the proposal for development of Tejas was submitted. The maiden flight of Tejas took place in 2001. It took a total of 20 years from 1993 to 2013. This time period is the standard required by any country, even the most advanced ones.
The Economic Times reported that "Amidst much cynicism about the eventual success of Tejas for the IAF and Navy, one positive outcome is that the design and development of the LCA has helped establish an entire ecosystem that will work as a platform for future aircraft manufacturing in the country. Having built Tejas from the scratch, the DRDO now claims has the right combination of trained manpower and manufacturing base to establish India's defence prowess on a global scale. At a conceptual level, the DRDO is already working on Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)."
Finally, IAF has also been changing its Air Staff Requirements frequently based on the current altering airborne scenarios. Thankfully though there has been substantial progress during the past couple of years and the Tejas program is triumphantly marching towards certification for Final Operational Clearance (FOC). TheLight Combat Aircraft-Tejas was envisaged to boost the indigenous aerospace capabilities. It has emerged as a sophisticated and significant piece of complex technological system that the country can be proud of. The main intention was to not only provide a launch base for aircraft production but also build upon local industry infrastructure capable of creating state-of-the-art aerospace products and services.
