Still long time from being inducted into service... but indians like to brag about making 5th generation plane when they can't even finish 3rd generation!
LCA Tejas still not ready
NEW DELHI : The indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, christened Tejas by Prime Minister Vajpayee, is cruising towards crossing the milestone of 200 flights by March 31. But the IAF is worried the much-hyped fighter will again fail to meet the already revised deadlines.
‘‘Going by the current progress, it will be a miracle if we are able to induct two squadrons of the fully-operational LCA by 2010. The development of the Kaveri engine (supposed to power the fighter) is going to take even longer,’’ says a senior IAF officer. Quips another, ‘‘We call it the Late Combat Aircraft.’’
But defence scientists are optimistic of the LCA project, which was planned way back in the 1980s to replace India ’s ageing MiG fleet.
They hold that developing a frontline multi-role combat jet like the LCA from scratch is an ‘‘extremely complex task.’’
‘‘We plan to complete 200 flights by March 31. By then, the LCA would have crossed the 1.4 Mach speed barrier (it went supersonic in August 2003),’’ says Defence Research and Development Organisation chief V K Aatre.
Three LCAs—Technology Demonstrator-1, TD-2 and Prototype Vehicle-1—are already flying and have completed around 145 flights till now. ‘‘We are looking at 15 to 20 flights per month. PV-2 will join the first three by mid-2004,’’ says Aatre.
The LCA project, which is now expected to cost over Rs 5,000 crore, involves building of two TDs, four PVs and a two-seat trainer.
As for the much-delayed Kaveri, the first high-altitude testing of the prototype engine in Russia has been found to be ‘‘very encouraging.’’
‘‘The Kaveri design is now been fine-tuned and hopefully by September, it will be on the flight test-bed,’’ says Aatre.
Due to the frequent slippages, the first two proposed LCA squadrons will now fly on the American GE-404 engines.
The defence ministry hopes the ‘‘initial operational clearance’’ process for the LCA will begin in 2006 and will be completed in two years.
It claims this tactical fighter will be best of its kind in the world, with composite airframe, full-glass cockpit, advanced combat avionics and optronics, and contemporary weapon systems.
‘‘With full-authority digital electronic control unit for engine control and in-flight refuelling capability to enable long-range deployment, the LCA will be the world’s smallest, lightweight and cheapest combat aircraft,’’ said an official.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/410862.cms
LCA Tejas still not ready
NEW DELHI : The indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, christened Tejas by Prime Minister Vajpayee, is cruising towards crossing the milestone of 200 flights by March 31. But the IAF is worried the much-hyped fighter will again fail to meet the already revised deadlines.
‘‘Going by the current progress, it will be a miracle if we are able to induct two squadrons of the fully-operational LCA by 2010. The development of the Kaveri engine (supposed to power the fighter) is going to take even longer,’’ says a senior IAF officer. Quips another, ‘‘We call it the Late Combat Aircraft.’’
But defence scientists are optimistic of the LCA project, which was planned way back in the 1980s to replace India ’s ageing MiG fleet.
They hold that developing a frontline multi-role combat jet like the LCA from scratch is an ‘‘extremely complex task.’’
‘‘We plan to complete 200 flights by March 31. By then, the LCA would have crossed the 1.4 Mach speed barrier (it went supersonic in August 2003),’’ says Defence Research and Development Organisation chief V K Aatre.
Three LCAs—Technology Demonstrator-1, TD-2 and Prototype Vehicle-1—are already flying and have completed around 145 flights till now. ‘‘We are looking at 15 to 20 flights per month. PV-2 will join the first three by mid-2004,’’ says Aatre.
The LCA project, which is now expected to cost over Rs 5,000 crore, involves building of two TDs, four PVs and a two-seat trainer.
As for the much-delayed Kaveri, the first high-altitude testing of the prototype engine in Russia has been found to be ‘‘very encouraging.’’
‘‘The Kaveri design is now been fine-tuned and hopefully by September, it will be on the flight test-bed,’’ says Aatre.
Due to the frequent slippages, the first two proposed LCA squadrons will now fly on the American GE-404 engines.
The defence ministry hopes the ‘‘initial operational clearance’’ process for the LCA will begin in 2006 and will be completed in two years.
It claims this tactical fighter will be best of its kind in the world, with composite airframe, full-glass cockpit, advanced combat avionics and optronics, and contemporary weapon systems.
‘‘With full-authority digital electronic control unit for engine control and in-flight refuelling capability to enable long-range deployment, the LCA will be the world’s smallest, lightweight and cheapest combat aircraft,’’ said an official.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/410862.cms
Pak is more dependent on China then India dependent on Russia nowdays.