LCA AF Mk2 (Medium Weight Fighter) - News and discussions

[RationalGuy]

The only source is Moneycontrol article and now all other news agencies are running the stories with Moneycontrol as source.

Watch this news video with the Moneycontrol "Expert", Guy is all over the place and mixing up LCA Mk1A and Mk2:

Post Op Sindoor, India Eyes Partnership With France's Safran To Power Next-Gen Tejas Mk2 Jets

| Post , India eyes partnership with France's Safran to power next-gen Tejas Mk2 jets n18oc_breaking-news

www.news18.com

I think regardless we will go with GE414 deal. Too late to delay Mk2 further by attempting to get another engine now. This incident should serve as a reminder why it is important to have our own jet engine program with lavish funding and support. But alas we are fickle and never learn.

 

[randomradio]

Post in thread 'MMRCA 2.0 - Updates and Discussions'

Oct 15, 2024

I'm not involved in the negotiations, but I have the impression that something is stalling. From my point of view, I can see that we're making efforts on our side, and I even remember a slide on which we proposed transferring 100% of the ToT + the know-how + the knowledge of why.

When we tried to revive the Kaveri, our proposal to replace the core by taking the M88 core, which was a cheap solution, was rejected. So we proposed correcting the defects with you, but Indian rules stipulate that the foreign share cannot exceed 49%, no doubt to preserve IP rights, so we proposed a package...

• randomradio

• 

Yes, that opinion still stands. The entire Kaveri program must have core Indian technologies to succeed.

The real competitor to the Americans were the Europeans. ADA should have kept the EJ200 in the running instead of locking themselves in with F414 in 2010. It's been my core criticism since the time it was chosen. So neither opinion has changed.

Any import needs some sort of a competitor, Indian or foreign. So when France won MMRCA, we couldn't lock ourselves in with France for other engines too, especially Kaveri, so the US and UK acted as complements back then.

What we should have done is mothballed the previous program and restarted the Mk2's engine program in parallel with AMCA's, while continuing to develop both jets with the F414.

 

[BHARAT KA BETA]

Can anyone explain the red marked sensors on Tejas mk2 design? Are these both MAWS or, anything else?

 

[marich01]

HMDS is still in bid opening stage, not updated since.

 

[Ashwin]

Will this be on Mk1A also?

 

[marich01]

How is this system export cleared ?

 

[Gautam]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1931403859869728819

Weren't the IAF originally planning 10 sq? Let's say we have 1st flight this year. 3 years to go from 1st flight to LSP?

7 squadrons would mean ~ 126 fighters. 126 fighters to be delivered in 5 years, so ~25.2 fighters a year.

HAL will deliver 25 fighters a year?

 

[marich01]

MK2 FTI (flight test instrumentation) related work outsourcing is released

 

[screambowl]

Any import needs some sort of a competitor, Indian or foreign. So when France won MMRCA, we couldn't lock ourselves in with France for other engines too, especially Kaveri, so the US and UK acted as complements back then.

But before that one has to identify what is the amount of Chinese indulgence with France in supplying critical raw material to France for their engine manufacturing.

 

[STEPHEN COHEN]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1932304004622828015

 

[Prokion]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1932304004622828015

So, the first MK2 will fly with the Uttam MK1 radar, to be used on the Mk1a, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[randomradio]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1931403859869728819

Weren't the IAF originally planning 10 sq? Let's say we have 1st flight this year. 3 years to go from 1st flight to LSP?

7 squadrons would mean ~ 126 fighters. 126 fighters to be delivered in 5 years, so ~25.2 fighters a year.

HAL will deliver 25 fighters a year?
View attachment 44168

It's supposed to be start of production. The IAF is expecting deliveries from 2031.

 

[Zarion]

So, the first MK2 will fly with the Uttam MK1 radar, to be used on the Mk1a, correct me if I'm wrong.

It will have Uttam GaAs based radar, yes. The GaN based AESA radar for mk2 hasn't been revealed yet. The second prototype thing is also something I am skeptical about because we haven't seen the radar yet.

 

[randomradio]

But before that one has to identify what is the amount of Chinese indulgence with France in supplying critical raw material to France for their engine manufacturing.

By the time we need the engines, plenty of rare earth sources would have come up.

 

[Parthu]

Given that Virupaksha which goes on Super MKI will be GaN-based, it's hard to imagine that the FCR for Tejas Mk2 by the time it goes into full scale production would be GaAs.

But it's also possible that we might go for a staggered technology-insertion, the first few batches could be GaAs followed by a GaN upgrade on later batches (kinda like how we're replacing ELM-2052 with Uttam on Mk-1A from 40th airframe onwards).

I maintain that it's still extremely likely that the eventual Mk2 numbers will reach 200 airframes.

 

[marich01]

The oem/dev partners all said that this call on kind of trm will be a drdo LRDE call. Given the literature doc was made in 2024 and the entire process take time to qualify all the required test screening , we might see going for GaN trm. Its a matter of choice, not a matter of unavailability

 

[Zarion]

The oem/dev partners all said that this call on kind of trm will be a drdo LRDE call. Given the literature doc was made in 2024 and the entire process take time to qualify all the required test screening , we might see going for GaN trm. Its a matter of choice, not a matter of unavailability

View attachment 44248

Do you think the number of TRMs will see an increase for mk2 radar?

 

[marich01]

Do you think the number of TRMs will see an increase for mk2 radar?

no, this was the final config nos same as mk1a, until new amendment is added won't change.

 

[marich01]

Rudder assy 4 set.

 

[randomradio]

Do you think the number of TRMs will see an increase for mk2 radar?

Yes, GaN uses a smaller die.