Tejas Mk2 team targets 2017 for first flight

[shree835]

With Separate Project team from ADA and HAL already in place for Tejas MK-2 , MK-2 Team are targeting to carry out first flight in early 2017 as per sources close to idrw.org . under MK-2 Project HAL will roll out two Prototypes by 2016 which will be be powered by the more powerful GE-F414-INS6 engines .

In 2013 Initial contract for 8 GE-F414-INS6 engines was awarded to Ge and GE will start delivering engines by end of 2015 and will also help in Integration of the engines with the MK-2 airframe in India for which a dedicated team will arrive from US , Currently GE team in US has carried out design reviews for integration of the engines in the MK-2 .

MK-2 Project team also been tasked to make it more Maintenance friendly and increase operational availability of the aircrafts once it enters service with IAF. MK-2 not only will get new engines but also will get Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar , onboard oxygen-generating system; an advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) suite,Pilot friendlier cockpit display, retractable mid-air refuelling system . older PV-1 aircraft currently has been used has a Test Bed for Electronic Warfare system.

MK-2 Project team learning from the past mistakes , will source all required systems and components to be integrated in MK-2 before actual work on first Prototypes begins so that delays can be avoided for want of one particular part from one lab. Team plans to field both test aircrafts around same time so that certification of various components are not delayed due to lack of aircrafts and also enter Production once they are certified .

Clearly it will be a uphill task for ADA and HAL team to put together an aircraft which Internally will require lot of changes and upgradation to its current systems, but also need to certify and enter production in shortest period of time to keep the technology developed for the aircraft relevant in 2025 when IAF will induct MK-2 in large numbers .

 

[trident2010]

2 years seems to be a right timeframe for first test flight. Good luck !!

 

[arahnea]

Over 20 years of developement ..... And still nothing fully operational to show for

 

[greatone]

DRDO has a habit of setting highly ambitious and frankly unrealistic targets and then failing spectacularly.
Its like a C student aiming to be the class topper at the start of every semester.

They should give themselves some leeway.
Sweden took about 5 years to do what DRDO is aiming to do in 3.
They are setting themselves up for failure in my opinion.

 

[Echo_419]

Over 20 years of developement ..... And still nothing fully operational to show for

Kuch pata nahi hota toh bolte nahi hai

 

[Avik274]

Don't be funny...HAL sleeps

 

[WishLivePak]

so happy for india.

 

[skynet]

Any source about the engine deal .

 

[kaykay]

India signs Tejas LCA engines supply contract with US - Airforce Technology

Any source about the engine deal .

India signs Tejas LCA engines supply contract with US - Airforce Technology

 

[shree835]

Any source about the engine deal .

Livefist: GE Statement: F414-powered LCA’s Mission Superiority Enhanced With Indian Expertise

 

[C130]

nice, but you gotta wonder was all of this worth it?
feels like Tejas should of happened earlier like late 90's early 2000's but not you are getting around 2020 when you will have significant numbers, just seems already outdated.

UCAVS is where it's at now and in the next decade. wasting time and resources IMO.

 

[kaykay]

nice, but you gotta wonder was all of this worth it?
feels like Tejas should of happened earlier like late 90's early 2000's but not you are getting around 2020 when you will have significant numbers, just seems already outdated.

UCAVS is where it's at now and in the next decade. wasting time and resources IMO.

well we can't afford 1000 fifth generation aircrafts so its better to induct low end fighters along with high end fighters including some 5th gen fighters. super sukhoi, rafale and fgfa will be our future front line fighters will LCA, mirage2ks, and mig29s will form second line.

 

[NKVD]

nice, but you gotta wonder was all of this worth it?
feels like Tejas should of happened earlier like late 90's early 2000's but not you are getting around 2020 when you will have significant numbers, just seems already outdated.

UCAVS is where it's at now and in the next decade. wasting time and resources IMO.

Outdated In what sense 4.5 gen is there till 2050 and Beyond.Only Few Economically Stables Nation Can Maintain Fifth gen. All Other Nations will Still Depend on 4.5 gen fighters At-least for next 2 decades or more as there Primary fighters As they are Cheap to maintain and have high operational availability as compare to fifth gen fighters

 

[OrionHunter]

So then, what's gonna happen to the Tejas Mk1? Sell it as scrap? Or probably gift it to Burkina Faso!!

 

[ashwamedh]

Nation Can Maintain Fifth ge

Outdated In what sense 4.5 gen is there till 2050 and Beyond.Only Few Economically Stables Nation Can Maintain Fifth gen. All Other Nations will Still Depend on 4.5 gen fighters At-least for next 2 decades or more as there Primary fighters As they are Cheap to maintain and have high operational availability as compare to fifth gen fighters

Not even US can maintain Fifth Gen like F22. They had to stop production because of its heavy maintenance requirements, although it is a great plane. Also they are having troubles with F 35.
LCA is good as second line of defense. Fits Indian requirements.