Penguin
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Good question. Besides actual difference (DOES LCA actually have poor range relative to JF17?), two possibilities: JF17 range is over reported, LCA range is underreported (i.e. reporting error) OR underspecification (combat radius, with what under the wings, with what flight profile and reserve)Then why LCA is having way poor range over jf17
WIKI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HAL_Tejas#Specifications_.28HAL_Tejas_Mk.1.29
HAL Tejas Mk.1
- Combat radius: 500 km (270 nmi, 311 mi)
- Ferry range: 1,700 km (1,056 mi)
- Range: 3,000 km (1,620 nmi, 1,864 mi)
JF-17 Block 1
- Combat radius: 1,352 km (840 mi[9])[dubious – discuss]
- Ferry range: 3,482 km (1,880 NM)
By comparison (all WIKI)
F-16C Block 50
- Combat radius: 340 mi (295 nmi, 550 km) on a hi-lo-hi mission with four 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs
- Ferry range: 2,280 nmi (2,620 mi, 4,220 km) with drop tanks
- Internal fuel: 7,000 pounds (3,200 kg)
- carrying capacity: 7,700 kg of stores on 11 hardpoints
Mig 21-93 The MiG-21s are planned to be replaced by the indigenously built HAL Tejas
Range: (internal fuel) 1,210 km (751 miles)
- 2 x R-27R1 or R-27T or 4x Vympel R-77 or 4 x R-73E or
- 2x 500 kg (1,102 lbs) bombs or
- S-5, S-8 rocket pods
- Combat radius: 908 km (490 nmi, 564 mi) (lo-lo-lo, external fuel)
- Ferry range: 3,524 km (1,902 nmi, 2,190 mi)
- 5 hardpoints with a capacity of 4,500 kg
- Combat radius: 780 km (480 mi) ()
- Ferry range: 2,500 km (1,550 mi)
- One centerline, four fuselage, and two wing glove pylons with a capacity of 4,000 kg
- Range: 1,430 km (772 nmi, 888 mi) with maximum internal fuel
- Ferry range: 2,100 km (1,300 mi) with external drop tanks
- Fuel capacity: 3,500 kg. (7,716 lbs.) internal
- Carrying capacity: Up to 3,500 kg on 7 hardpoints
- Range: 1,550 km (837 nmi, 963 mi) with drop tanks
- Ferry range: 3,335 km (1,800 nmi, 2,073 mi) with auxiliary fuel
- 9 hardpoints with a capacity of 6,300 kg (13,900 lb) external fuel and ordnance
- Combat range: 1,200 km (746 mi; 648 nmi)
- Ferry range: 3,335 km (2,072 mi; 1,801 nmi)
- 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) of payload on five external hardpoints
- Combat radius: 1,250 km (675 nmi, 777 mi) hi-lo-hi profile, payload two 400 kg bomb and max external fuel
- Ferry range: 4,000 km (2,158 nmi, 2,485 mi)
- 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) of payload on five external hardpoints
Personally, I think there is confusion of terms. Above you see that what is listed are range with Tejas is close to ferry range JF-17. Ferry range of Tejas is in the same order of magnitude as what is given as combat radius jf-17. Note that combat radius jf-17 is not only much great than that of Tejas, but also much greater than that of F-16C Block 50, which has more internal fuel and can carry more external weight . So, I'm inclined to agree that the above JF-17 combat radius (for unspecified mission, flight profile and reserve) of 1352km is overstated, or at least involved carriage of external fuel (whereas that for Tejas likely doesn't). Ferry range seems correct (http://www.pac.org.pk/jf-17)
- Combat radius > on what kind of mission > different flight profiles and external loadings (can include fuel external tanks), with or without some combat reserve.
- Maximum range (how far do you get on internal fuel, no external load).
- Ferry range (with max. external fuel in addition to internal fuel)
I came accross this for FC-1:
The aircraft has a maximum speed of Mach 1.8, a service ceiling of 16,000 m (52,495 ft), a maximum range on internal fuel of 1,800 km (1,118 miles) and a combat radius of 1,200 km (745 miles) in counter-air configuration and 700 km (435 miles) in strike configuration.
Read more http://www.aviatia.net/fc-1-fighter/
This actually compares believably to LCA and F-16C
Max range on internal fuel 1700km LCA and 1800km FC-1
Combat radius on strike mission also much closer to e.g. F16 (still undefined for Tajes though)
LIkewise here: http://pakdef.org/cac-pac-fc-1-jf-17/
- Combat radius (attack) 378 n miles (700 km; 435 miles)
- Combat radius (fighter) 648 n miles (1,200 km; 745 miles)
- Max range on internal fuel 864 n miles (1,600 km; 994 miles)
- Max ferry range 1,200 n miles (2,220 km; 1380 miles)
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