Team LCA gearing up for fifth naval prototype

[Soumya_india]

Learning from its experience with the air force version of the light combat aircraft (LCA), Team LCA is gearing up for the design and development of NP-5, the fifth prototype of the naval variant of the LCA.

P S Subrahmanya, chief of Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the nodal agency for the LCA programme, said: “We believe that we would need more than two aircraft to go through the certification process and get the aircraft inducted into the Navy and so, we will have NP-5.”

NP-5 will be in addition to LCA-NP 1, the first prototype (twin-seater trainer) which completed its maiden flight on April 27, 2012, and LCA-NP 2, a single seat fighter, which is in the process of development.

Although ADA is yet to decide whether the prototype will be a fighter or a trainer, sources said: “The Tejas (IAF version), which has more than six aircraft flying ‘continuously’ is yet to complete the certification process. So we have learnt that it would be very time-consuming to try and get through the process with only two aircraft for the naval version.”

The prototype will be powered by the GE-404 engine that powers other LCAs.
“This will be the fifth prototype because we have already allocated and released the designs for NP 3 and NP 4 (LCA MK-II) to be powered by the GE-414 engines and cannot change that now. But NP 5, we now think, will be necessary, keeping in mind the certification process,” Subrahmanya said. And the only thing left before India signs deal with GE Aviation for 99 GE-F414 engines now is the clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

The Price Negotiation Committee (PNC), which was set up in late 2010 has finalised the deal after having surpassed all the hurdles before it and the file is now expected to go to the CCS anytime. The PNC, comprising representatives from the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Navy, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), HAL, ADA and the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) negotiated with GE and the US government for over 15 months before coming to a conclusion.

Now, team LCA gearing up for fifth naval prototype

 

[anathema]

5th - am i hearing it correct ? Only one is flying - and we are talking about 5th ?

 

[Ammyy]

5th - am i hearing it correct ? Only one is flying - and we are talking about 5th ?

Other 3 are in different stages of production as mention in article ......

Final Variant of N LCA will have MK2 capabilities

 

[Abingdonboy]

Title is misleading, it should be- "team LCA gearing up for five naval prototypes".

 

[sancho]

5th - am i hearing it correct ? Only one is flying - and we are talking about 5th ?

Not all of them are meant to fly, some are used for full scale windtunnel, electronic or taxi test just like it is the case for T50, where 3 prototypes are flying but more are build.
IN so far has ordered 6 x N-LCAs and they all should be prototypes or TDs only, the real final prototype will only come with the MK2 changes and is dependent on the time frames and the successful integration. If MK2 is delayed, N-LCA will be too!

 

[JanjaWeed]

U.S. Navy Joins India's Light Combat Aircraft Project

The U.S. Navy has agreed to come on board India’s much delayed Naval Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program and will audit tests and provide feedbacks to the Indian team.

The U.S. will join the Russians and the Europeans who were earlier roped in to realize the LCA project which has been delayed by over 15 years.

The U.S Navy Carrier Suitability Test Team is the latest of three foreign consultants to join team LCA. Among the many problems the LCA program is faced with, one is the weight of the prototype which is heavier by 500 kgs over the requirement of a carrier-based fighter. The Test Team is expected to tackle this issue.

According to Indian media reports, the U.S Test Team will not be paid for its services.

In 2011, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Group (EADS) was introduced to the program in order to help developers reduce the weight of the fighter.

Meanwhile, the Gromov Institute in Russia is currently testing the Kaveri engine on an Ilyushin-76 engine test bed aircraft and has completed 55 hours of testing at the Institute.

The Naval LCA-NP1, also known as Tejas, made its maiden flight a week ago at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore.

U.S. Navy Joins India's Light Combat Aircraft Project : Defense news

 

[Safriz]

RIAT is a very large military aircraft show held in UK every year..
indian navy was invited to show off their navy aircrats..but they declined...

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

RIAT is a very large military aircraft show held in UK every year..
indian navy was invited to show off their navy aircrats..but they declined...

So?
NLCA flew just now

U.S. Navy Joins India's Light Combat Aircraft Project

The U.S. Navy has agreed to come on board India’s much delayed Naval Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program and will audit tests and provide feedbacks to the Indian team.

The U.S. will join the Russians and the Europeans who were earlier roped in to realize the LCA project which has been delayed by over 15 years.

The U.S Navy Carrier Suitability Test Team is the latest of three foreign consultants to join team LCA. Among the many problems the LCA program is faced with, one is the weight of the prototype which is heavier by 500 kgs over the requirement of a carrier-based fighter. The Test Team is expected to tackle this issue.

According to Indian media reports, the U.S Test Team will not be paid for its services.

In 2011, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Group (EADS) was introduced to the program in order to help developers reduce the weight of the fighter.

Meanwhile, the Gromov Institute in Russia is currently testing the Kaveri engine on an Ilyushin-76 engine test bed aircraft and has completed 55 hours of testing at the Institute.

The Naval LCA-NP1, also known as Tejas, made its maiden flight a week ago at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore.

U.S. Navy Joins India's Light Combat Aircraft Project : Defense news

Really?
I dunoo whether to call it a boon or a bane..
I feel US are not to be trusted with our development projects...
They might understate the capabilities of the NLCA, and ask us to buy their aircraft...
They are so business minded

 

[IND151]

good development

N LCA and LCA both should be successful so we can be able to achieve aim of 42 Squadron Strength

plus a significant part of money spent on LCAs (20% TO 25%) will go back in our economy as several components are Indian

 

[acetophenol]

Thats cool.
Its sure that the N Lca will be the favourite of deck handling crew of the carriers given its small size.

 

[tvsram1992]

Any way since they are finally making a naval prototype , they should also try for VTOL versions taking help from US and Russia .

 

[janon]

Any way since they are finally making a naval prototype , they should also try for VTOL versions taking help from US and Russia .

They can't make VTOL versions of a CTOL or STOL aircraft. To get a VTOL aircraft, they would have to design a VTOL aircraft from scratch.

 

[tvsram1992]

They can't make VTOL versions of a CTOL or STOL aircraft. To get a VTOL aircraft, they would have to design a VTOL aircraft from scratch.

F35???
Not so necessarily , the LCA basic design may not change much .

 

[janon]

F35???
Not so necessarily , the LCA basic design may not change much .

There is no VTOL F-35. The F-35B can land vertically, and it was designed to do so from scratch. From the beginning, they designed the F-35 in 3 different variants. None of them can take off vertically though. And the F-35B can land vertically, only because they designed it to do that from the beginning. Otherwise, you can't convert ordinary CTOL or STOL aircrafts into VTOL.

 

[sancho]

There is no VTOL F-35. The F-35B can land vertically, and it was designed to do so from scratch. From the beginning, they designed the F-35 in 3 different variants. None of them can take off vertically though. And the F-35B can land vertically, only because they designed it to do that from the beginning. Otherwise, you can't convert ordinary CTOL or STOL aircrafts into VTOL.

That's not correct, any fighter that can land vertically, can also take off vertically. No matter if the Sea Harrier, the F35B or the Russian Yak 141.

However, nor is it possible to re-design LCA just like that for VTOL, because besides a complete new engine, you need several airframe changes as well. But way more important is, that such VTOL fighters have several limitations that makes them not useful anymore. Be it reduced payload and fuel, limited internal space (F35B has no internal gun, less space for weapons and fuel) and less bring back capability, that's why IN went away from STOVL carriers to carriers with arrested landing capabilities, that also can operate more capable fighters. With the aim on CATOBAR carriers in future, VTOL fighters doesn't make any sense anymore.