AMCA latest version
Just for comparison
Where is the vertical fins ?
ruddervators ?
Just for comparison
Where is the vertical fins ?
ruddervators ?
Beautiful comparison pic. I think there is a difference in viewing point. The pic on the left shows the aircraft from top, the right shows the aircraft from the bottom. The vertical tail could be hidden away by the new rather large horizontal tails.
- Look at the main wings the leading edge near the intake has moved forward and the wings appear more swept back now.
- The exhaust is been kept hidden pretty good. I would be very disapponited if we didn't have any low observable nozzle on the engine. All the good work from the design will go to waste.
- The intake cowl is swept forward with the DSI. That also reduces the dia of the fighter around the intake, thus reducing overall frontal aspect visibility. The front is very clean too, no probes hanging out like before.
- The rear landing wheels seem to have been stowed flat instead of the previous vertical configuration.
- I do hope the selectively permeable radome & canopy glass are good enough. Also the cockpit locking mechanism has to be such that it doesn't contribute to RCS.
- I cannot believe they are going with a single bay.
I cannot believe they are going with a single bay.
If you consider wingman drones will be carrying all the extra goodies, the additional weapons won't matter.
The HAL unmanned wingman ?
Here is a graphic HVT posted on the wingman :
HAL has everything they need for the wingman today, also that start up New Space Ltd. is working with HAL. The engines, the biggest sticking point, is also from HAL. The intake design will be interesting to see. A single probably serpentine intake that lead up to 2 engines, not sure if the duct will be connected to each engine individually.
The loadout is 2 internally carried SAAW & 2 externally carried SAAW. The AMCA has 4 hardpoints in the internal bay, it can probably have 6 external ones or more. So in a SEAD/DEAD mission with full stealth loadout. 1 AMCA will carry 4 AAMs & 1 wingman will carry 2 SAAW. Maybe I am too used to the bomb truck that is the Su-30MKI, but this seems a little too less.
The plan is probably to send multiple AMCAs/Ghataks & even more wingman/CATS swarm drones to destroy enemy ADs. Once that is done we can send in the bomb trucks.
Kuntal Biswas on twitter had posted some awesome renders of the AMCA sometime back :
Hell this guy does better renders than the actual designers. Its pretty accurate too. The horizontal tails should be bigger.
HAL's wingman is not sufficient.
There are plans for two advanced drones, both taken up in tandem. One is what you already know, the IUSAV. This is a flying wing design so it will be used for strike role. There's another drone which is designed for high performance, and will perform the air superiority role. This drone will carry AAMs, and will be suitable for high G dog fighting as well.
Sir if a Drone has to be equipped with Air To Air Missiles , it will require A Good Radar and a Powerful Engine
That increases weight and cost
Technical Complexity is another matter
Is it really Doable
It's not even on the drawing board yet. It's a long term project. I actually hope we do it in a JV with someone, preferably France/UK or the US.
US is not going to share any technology. whereas France and UK will only milk us.
Its a unique Indian Industry way of working things. Overpromise Underdeliver.
Remember I said that future fighter jets will be more capable than current gen AWACS since they will operate much closer to the enemy while carrying significantly advanced radar technology. So the drone doesn't need a powerful radar as such, since the primary fighter jet will have an all-aspect radar. And engine is dependent on the size, range and payload required.
At the lower end, imagine a 3T drone powered by a 40KN engine. Something like what @vstol Jockey had initially planned to design before LSA and MSA, called the GHOST. It was based on the Follant Gnat and was a 3T design. Make it stealthy, add a 450-500mm radar, and a lot of fuel since there's no need for a cockpit. Strengthen the design to allow it very high G performance, perhaps 15G or more. Design it with an IWB that can carry 4 missiles. And you're done.
At the higher end, imagine a 6T drone with an 80KN engine carrying 6 missiles.
You can imagine a mix of AMCA, IUSAV, 3T and 6T drones performing the entire gamut of missions required.
In JVs, both sides will pretty much pay the same amount, so it's not going to see the kind of milking one sees in import programs.
Air superiority drones will require a lot of R&D. If we can manage it on our own, great, but I don't think we can until the next decade. Hence the need for a partnership if we are to have something that works in a short amount of time. We are going it alone when it comes to a strike UCAV since we are confident of developing it, but it's a different story when it comes to air superiority.
As for technology denial, it's fine. We only need the capability, not the technology. Also there's not going to be much advanced technology to deny. Most of it will be software, the advanced countries are significantly ahead when it comes to such software. The hardware will be quite contemporary and we do not need it from an R&D PoV.
IAF plans to have 125 advanced combat jets
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is considering more numbers of the next generation stealt featured Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The plan is to have at least 125 planes of the AMCA with two versions powered by separate engines.
During a press conference on Monday, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said the force was looking for seven squadrons (some 125 jets) with two separate engines.
Sources said the first two squadrons of the fighters would be powered by an imported engine, the General Electric 414 with 90 KN thrust, same as the one used by US-made fighter jets made by Boeing.
The remaining five squadrons are likely to get an indigenous power plant with a greater thrust of 125 KN. A joint venture is being worked out with a foreign engine maker to jointly develop a new engine. A powerful engine will allow greater weapons carrying capacity and faster speed.
According to the existing plan, the AMCA’s first flight will be in 2027 and full production by 2029. The IAF, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are working on the AMCA.
The DRDO has tasked various labs for doing R&D on material, paint and structure. Separate studies are under way on flight control, avionics, aerodynamics, composite structure and general systems like brakes, hydraulics and fuel systems.
A super-cruise ability, which gives an aircraft capability to fly at supersonic speed, is being developed. The AMCA team is using geometric drawing for stealth by shaping the aircraft and designing it at such angles so as to deflect away maximum radar waves. It will use radar-absorbing material. The AMCA will be a single-seat, twin-engine, stealth all-weather multirole fighter aircraft.
AMCA: all-weather fighter aircraft
# The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft will be a single-seat, twin-engine, stealth all-weather multirole fighter aircraft
# The 25-tonne jet will be capable of attaining super-cruise speed
# According to the existing plan, the AMCA’s first flight will be in 2027 and full production by 2029
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/n...rce (IAF,versions powered by separate engines.
The article missed out on mentioning that AMCA will be led by the private industry, with HAL being the junior partner.
It was shared by a test pilot from HAL. He knows about the politics lurking around amcs,better than anyone in this forum.
