holysaturn
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It is wrong to say that ADA and DRDO designed it, it is this "us vs them" mentality is hurting us it was ADA,HAL,IAF who screwed it up combined.If IAF refuses to acknowledge its role in the failure then even a MK10 cannot save the LCA.That doesn't make any sense! The upgrade for the M2K was decided only in the recent years, while the LCA ASR is available for decades, so the one has nothing to do with the other.
Also, the design of the fighter is the main problem, since ADA and DRDO designed it, to be the smallest fighter in it's class, which never was a requirement of the IAF! The small form factor however, made the ratio to it's wings too big, which is one reason why drag is a problem, that reduces the flight performance from the ASR aims (speed for example). Same reason is the problem to carry enough fuel and avionics and EW systems internally, as ALL current gen fighters do. So it was ADA's / DRDO's misconception of the needed size, that is currently proving to be the main issue, which will be corrected in the MK2, by extending the airframe and adding more power. Personally, I doubt too that the specs can be met by the MK2, since the weight increase should be dramatic too, but it still shows us where the problem is!
The problem was with ASR, instead of going for a phased manner and clearly define what it wanted from the airframe it was just giving disproportionate requirement for its size.While technology updates should have come the functionality should have remained.If the IAF wanted a multirole fighter then it should have given a higher weight criteria from the beginning.
But these changing excessive requirements meant weight increases and an underpowered engine.
I agree that the wing aspect ratio is unheard of in modern fighters.The ADA when the project began was an inexperienced,incapable team,but the IAF was a professional organisation so it was the IAF's role to take up ownership at each level breaking the bureaucratic stronghold and guide the ADA.If not allowed to do so it should have pressured the MOD to allow it,like the Navy does its own ship design, but ironically the IAF took impressive ownership and showed impeccable professionalism at every stage of the MMRCA. ADA is to be blamed but so is the IAF as the country believes that the IAF is a more professional and disciplined one.