Flight Control and Software and Other Avionics
The LCA uses advanced digital fly-by-wire technology which essentially employs computers to optimise the aircraft's performance. Foreign companies were consulted. Infact, LCA avionics were first flight tested on a US F-16XL.
http://www.geocities.com/spacetransp...craft-lca.html
11. Defence R&D is not a make-believe game to be played by exploiting the fascination for techno-nationalism.
How soon we forget! In 1999, when nuclear-armed Pakistan invaded the Kargil heights, what allowed Indians to laugh off the blatant Pakistani threat of nuclear attack? My guess is that it was our belief in our nuclear-armed fighter-bombers and ballistic missiles. These weapons were not built with foreign assistance. In other words, where there is national urgency, and where no foreign purchases can be made nor commissions sought, our military is willing and able to accept the products that our scientists/engineers turn out. Perhaps there is a lesson here?
Admiral Nadkarni perhaps reflects the frustration felt by many patriotic Indians, especially those in the Armed Forces, that our indigenous technology lags that of the West, and our efforts to give our fighting men and women the latest and best weapon systems invariably suffer from delays, technical problems, etc. This is understandable. However, it would indeed be a catastrophe for India if these frustrations added to the already-severe burdens shouldered by our technical people, and discourage them. The result might be that we give up trying, when in fact there is every reason for us to give our technical people the greatest encouragement!
In protecting our nation and way of life, we have no permanent friends. Air Marshal Wollen3 , tracing the history of the LCA, had concluded years ago: "the development of a suitable engine is the Achilles Heel of the program". This is still true today, but consider that the LCA prototype is flying with American engines today. Is it entirely luck that enough GE engines were obtained to permit airframe flight testing, but no mass purchase agreement was signed (which would have killed the Kaveri program), and enough flight-controls were tested on the F16 XL to permit program completion within 2 years, all before May 1998? Thomas Jefferson said: "I am a strong believer in luck. And the harder I work, the luckier I get". Perhaps the Indian aerospace program is "getting luckier" too.
All Indians should be proud of the LCA. This airplane is ours! With each flight, our knowledge will increase; as each imported component is replaced with indigenous innovation, the money spent will stay inside India, generating Indian jobs, technical infrastructure and experience. Senior leaders like Adm. Nadkarni, I hope, will be more supportive of Indian indigenisation programs in future. Indian kids expect and deserve it! Congratulations to the LCA team. Jai Hind!
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITO...narayanan.html 
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