With Two Planes, India To Raise Its First Tejas Squadron In July.

[shree835]

India will get its Tejas fighter squadron — indigenously built Combat Aircraft — on July 1, with two planes. The squadron will be based in in Tamil Nadu’s Sulur. Another two fighters are expected in the next financial year, 2016-17, a senior Air Force commander told NDTV. The total strength of the squadron – normally they have 14 to 16 aircraft — and its name will be decided later. The first two Tejas fighters, however, won’t be used for operations now. They will undergo test flights to resolve certain flaws. The clearance for operations is expected in December. The Tejas still has 19 unresolved issues – including nose wheel vibrations, high noise level in the cockpit — which need to be sorted out. “The HAL (the manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) and IAF are working closely to sort out these issues, we expect them to go through it quickly,” the commander said. For now, the Air Force will start the training and induction of pilots. Also, test pilots manning the squadron will work closely with HAL to “deal with the niggling issues,” he added.Despite its flaws, the Air Force had agreed to induct the aircraft to keep the Tejas programme alive and bolster its flagging squadron numbers. The Air Force is down to 33 fighter squadrons against the required 42. Each squadron has 14 to 16 jets. Over the next few years, the IAF will lose another 14 squadrons comprising the aging Russian-made MiG-21 and MiG 27s. To make up the numbers the Air Force has ordered 80 more Tejas fighters, and their total number will be 120 — the delivery will depend on HAL’s production capacity. The first batch 20 fighters produced by HAL will not have the capacity to refuel on air – a critical quality during operations. “That, a better radar , and the ability to fire missiles beyond the visual range will be incorporated in the second batch of 20 fighters,” the officer said. India is hoping to use Israeli radars. The Defence ministry and HAL are in the process of increasing the production capacity of Tejas fighters. The plan is to produce at least 8 aircraft annually and then increase it to 16 fighters, that is one squadron, a year.

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

Tamil Nadu is going to having these new babies

 

[shah1398]

They will undergo test flights to resolve certain flaws.

I thought this portion was covered by HAL. Isnt Flight Testing Section of HAL responsible for validating these stuff before being handed over to IAF?

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

HAL said that SP3 is under final assembly , so it could be 3.
Anyways good, at least beginning is made.

 

[zebra7]

I thought this portion was covered by HAL. Isnt Flight Testing Section of HAL responsible for validating these stuff before being handed over to IAF?

Those planes handed over to the IAF are the SP series, and are handed over to IAF after proper flight testing, but what it means is that HAL/ADA is trying to certain issues regarding the revised ASQR, which it is not been able to fullfil so far before FOC (Final Operational Clearance). PS the first 20 LCA MK-1 one will be of IOC-2 standard.

ADA/HAL have many PV and SP series LCA tejas types which would be used for validating those improvement.

 

[Windjammer]

The Tejas squadron will be based in Tamil Nadu's Sulur.

NEW DELHI:
HIGHLIGHTS

• India's home-made combat planes to undergo test flights to resolve flaws
• Despite flaws, aircraft inducted to keep the Tejas programme alive
• It also helps Air Force bolster its flagging squadron numbers

India will get its Tejas fighter squadron -- indigenously built Combat Aircraft -- on July 1, with two planes. The squadron will be based in in Tamil Nadu's Sulur.

Another two fighters are expected in the next financial year, 2016-17, a senior Air Force commander told NDTV. The total strength of the squadron - normally they have 14 to 16 aircraft -- and its name will be decided later.

The first two Tejas fighters, however, won't be used for operations now. They will undergo test flights to resolve certain flaws. The clearance for operations is expected in December.


The Tejas still has 19 unresolved issues - including nose wheel vibrations, high noise level in the cockpit -- which need to be sorted out. "The HAL (the manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) and IAF are working closely to sort out these issues, we expect them to go through it quickly," the commander said.

For now, the Air Force will start the training and induction of pilots. Also, test pilots manning the squadron will work closely with HAL to "deal with the niggling issues," he added.

Despite its flaws, the Air Force had agreed to induct the aircraft to keep the Tejas programme alive and bolster its flagging squadron numbers. The Air Force is down to 33 fighter squadrons against the required 42. Each squadron has 14 to 16 jets. Over the next few years, the IAF will lose another 14 squadrons comprising the aging Russian-made MiG-21 and MiG 27s.

To make up the numbers the Air Force has ordered 80 more Tejas fighters, and their total number will be 120 -- the delivery will depend on HAL's production capacity.

The first batch 20 fighters produced by HAL will not have the capacity to refuel on air - a critical quality during operations.

"That, a better radar , and the ability to fire missiles beyond the visual range will be incorporated in the second batch of 20 fighters," the officer said. India is hoping to use Israeli radars.

The Defence ministry and HAL are in the process of increasing the production capacity of Tejas fighters. The plan is to produce at least 8 aircraft annually and then increase it to 16 fighters, that is one squadron, a year.


With Two Planes, India To Raise Its First Tejas Squadron In July

 

[shah1398]

Those planes handed over to the IAF are the SP series, and are handed over to IAF after proper flight testing, but what it means is that HAL/ADA is trying to certain issues regarding the revised ASQR, which it is not been able to fullfil so far before FOC (Final Operational Clearance). PS the first 20 LCA MK-1 one will be of IOC-2 standard.

Plz let me make it clear that in no way m indulging in any sort of controversy here but i really can not understand that fact that why IAF and not HAL is flying to resolve the issues like nose wheel vibrations, noise in the cockpit etc. These issues shud have been there from day one and revised ASQR has got nothing to do with it. On the contrary did these issue pop up later on due to some mods etc or what? All i seem to get is that its basically the training of pilots and preparing/training pilots for Tejas which has taken the precedence here as IAF can for time being live with these issues till FOC.

 

[Jackdaws]

Why can't they just buy with technology transfer? This is a white elephant

 

[cerberus]

I thought this portion was covered by HAL. Isnt Flight Testing Section of HAL responsible for validating these stuff before being handed over to IAF?

These are normal flight gliches faced by every airforce around world when one induct new plat form

Even fighters which in service face glitches
F-16,Su-30MKI, and even F-22 faced issues even after years of its own induction

It will correct after sometime of induction

 

[cerberus]

Why can't they just buy with technology transfer? This is a white elephant

How it is White Elephant May I ask ??

 

[hussain0216]

Can you raise a squadron with 2 planes?

 

[Beast]

How it is White Elephant May I ask ??

Drag too long and still has so many unresolved issue. The fund could have used for ToT for another fighter.

 

[cerberus]

Drag too long and still has so many unresolved issue. The fund could have used for ToT for another fighter.

We Done that with MKI Issues Still remain Same issues Persist With Russian engines And Poor Serviceability
LCA will be Still Better with Local LRU's & Spare's Flow is Indigenous And Local

PS: There No Serviceable Fighter in the World Which Don't have Issues ther Examples
F-22 have on-board Oxygen system Glich. Russian Planes have poor Serviceability Glitch due to Engine Issues there other examples as well

Can you raise a squadron with 2 planes?

Don't know Facts then google it
SP-3 ,SP-4 and SP-5 are in assembly Components of to SP-8 are on jigs

HAL on mission mode to ramp up Tejas production - Oneindia

 

[IndianSudhakar]

Tejas will play an important role in Indian Air force History. If you are thinking about nose wheel vibrations then you are getting into too much detail..which is fine. Tejas has / will give a lot of confidence / experience to Indian Aircraft manufacturing and fill in the gap of a single engine Local area defence fighter. India cannot depend on imports for ever...Tejas is the beginning.

 

[proud_indian]

those who are whining do not understand what tejas has given to India. It's not just a plane but an ecosystem. One can't just learn to sprint bypassing crawling and walking phase.