LCA Tejas Mk1 & Mk1A - News and discussions
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Finally, Decks Cleared For $5.2 Billion LCA Tejas Fighter Order
By Shiv Aroor
Mar 18 2020, 7:01 pm
And it’s done! Phew. In what will be the biggest, and most industrially crucial contract for indigenous aviation, the Indian MoD today cleared the decks for a long-anticipated $5.2 billion deal for 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighters in the Mk1A configuration.
In a statement, the MoD said, “While orders of 40 Tejas aircraft had been placed with HAL in initial configurations, DAC paved the way for procurement of 83 of the more advanced Mk1A version of the aircraft from HAL by finalising the contractual and other issues. The proposal will now be placed for consideration of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). This procurement will be a major boost to ‘Make in India’ as the aircraft is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with participation of several local vendors apart from HAL.“
Significantly, the $5.2 billion price tag (it could be slightly lower finally) is a at least $1.3 billion lower than proposed cost when the IAF and HAL began sanction paperwork in 2016. Unsurprisingly, it was cost that held the deal up, with the lower unit rate helping ease the deal through. Also of significance, HAL has managed to see decks cleared before the financial year is out, though it remains to be seen if contract signature beats the March 31 FY deadline.
Livefist detailed the LCA’s Mk1A configuration in this 2016 piece, which lists the improvements and capabilities that the Indian Air Force had agreed on for the variant. As the piece says, the improvements are split between capability, systems and maintainability. According to HAL, the first LCA Mk1A will be in the air by 2022, with series production starting a year later, a full squadron delivered by 2025 and, with sustained manufacture rate of 16 aircraft or more per year, deliveries completed by or before 2029.
The Indian Air Force’s 45 Squadron ‘Flying Daggers’ began inducting LCA Tejas Mk.1 jets in 2016 in the initial operational clearance (IOC) configuration. The first final operational clearance (FOC) configured jet, which includes an aerial refueling probe and beyond visual range missile (BVRAAM Derby) capability, took off for the first time yesterday in Bengaluru. Both capabilities have been proven since 2016. Sixteen of the FOC form part of the first order for 40 jets. The 83 Mk.1A jets will add to this fleet, spawning six IAF squadrons.
LCA Tejas SP-21 (FOC) on its first flight (PHOTO/DEB RANA)
A year ago, Livefist editor Shiv Aroor did a back-seat sortie in LCA Tejas Prototype Vehicle-5 with chief of the National Flight Test Centre Air Vice Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari. Livefist has also steadily advocated the speedy entry of the LCA Tejas into service.
With 123 LCA Tejas jets now spoken for (well, when contract signature takes place in weeks from now), the focus shifts to the future of the program. As Livefist has reported, there’s an important fork in the road: either the government can choose to press ahead with the low-risk LCA Mk.2 (designated Medium Weight Fighter last year), or look to a much more time/cost risky twin-engine ‘Super Tejas’ proposal, borne from compulsions in the Indian Navy’s deck-based LCA requirements.
The Medium Weight Fighter (earlier LCA Mk.2)
Apart from the next steps in the LCA Tejas program, the IAF’s focus on the fifth generation AMCA program is all set to spike as well. Livefist has a detailed report soon on what’s ahead on that most crucial aviation project.
https://www.livefistdefence.com/202...-for-5-2-billion-lca-tejas-fighter-order.html
By Shiv Aroor
Mar 18 2020, 7:01 pm
And it’s done! Phew. In what will be the biggest, and most industrially crucial contract for indigenous aviation, the Indian MoD today cleared the decks for a long-anticipated $5.2 billion deal for 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighters in the Mk1A configuration.
In a statement, the MoD said, “While orders of 40 Tejas aircraft had been placed with HAL in initial configurations, DAC paved the way for procurement of 83 of the more advanced Mk1A version of the aircraft from HAL by finalising the contractual and other issues. The proposal will now be placed for consideration of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). This procurement will be a major boost to ‘Make in India’ as the aircraft is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with participation of several local vendors apart from HAL.“
Significantly, the $5.2 billion price tag (it could be slightly lower finally) is a at least $1.3 billion lower than proposed cost when the IAF and HAL began sanction paperwork in 2016. Unsurprisingly, it was cost that held the deal up, with the lower unit rate helping ease the deal through. Also of significance, HAL has managed to see decks cleared before the financial year is out, though it remains to be seen if contract signature beats the March 31 FY deadline.
Livefist detailed the LCA’s Mk1A configuration in this 2016 piece, which lists the improvements and capabilities that the Indian Air Force had agreed on for the variant. As the piece says, the improvements are split between capability, systems and maintainability. According to HAL, the first LCA Mk1A will be in the air by 2022, with series production starting a year later, a full squadron delivered by 2025 and, with sustained manufacture rate of 16 aircraft or more per year, deliveries completed by or before 2029.
The Indian Air Force’s 45 Squadron ‘Flying Daggers’ began inducting LCA Tejas Mk.1 jets in 2016 in the initial operational clearance (IOC) configuration. The first final operational clearance (FOC) configured jet, which includes an aerial refueling probe and beyond visual range missile (BVRAAM Derby) capability, took off for the first time yesterday in Bengaluru. Both capabilities have been proven since 2016. Sixteen of the FOC form part of the first order for 40 jets. The 83 Mk.1A jets will add to this fleet, spawning six IAF squadrons.
LCA Tejas SP-21 (FOC) on its first flight (PHOTO/DEB RANA)
A year ago, Livefist editor Shiv Aroor did a back-seat sortie in LCA Tejas Prototype Vehicle-5 with chief of the National Flight Test Centre Air Vice Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari. Livefist has also steadily advocated the speedy entry of the LCA Tejas into service.
With 123 LCA Tejas jets now spoken for (well, when contract signature takes place in weeks from now), the focus shifts to the future of the program. As Livefist has reported, there’s an important fork in the road: either the government can choose to press ahead with the low-risk LCA Mk.2 (designated Medium Weight Fighter last year), or look to a much more time/cost risky twin-engine ‘Super Tejas’ proposal, borne from compulsions in the Indian Navy’s deck-based LCA requirements.
The Medium Weight Fighter (earlier LCA Mk.2)
Apart from the next steps in the LCA Tejas program, the IAF’s focus on the fifth generation AMCA program is all set to spike as well. Livefist has a detailed report soon on what’s ahead on that most crucial aviation project.
https://www.livefistdefence.com/202...-for-5-2-billion-lca-tejas-fighter-order.html
According to HAL, the first LCA Mk1A will be in the air by 2022, with series production starting a year later, a full squadron delivered by 2025 and, with sustained manufacture rate of 16 aircraft or more per year, deliveries completed by or before 2029.
Now it actually makes sense. I always thought it was risky to jump into full rate production right from the get-go. Now this will allow a year of finetuning before full rate production begins.
or look to a much more time/cost risky twin-engine ‘Super Tejas’ proposal, borne from compulsions in the Indian Navy’s deck-based LCA requirements.
Obviously doesn't make sense. Then IAF will be forced to import the MWF requirement. So it's not either/or.
Now it actually makes sense. I always thought it was risky to jump into full rate production right from the get-go. Now this will allow a year of finetuning before full rate production begins.
or look to a much more time/cost risky twin-engine ‘Super Tejas’ proposal, borne from compulsions in the Indian Navy’s deck-based LCA requirements.
Obviously doesn't make sense. Then IAF will be forced to import the MWF requirement. So it's not either/or.
the interest of 2 way data link is not clear.
Enhanced ECCM.... is it so sure? The russian air to air RF seeker quality is unclear. The indian seeker is a first try, so without feed back. So against a US mature and regularly upgraded missile, it's all but not sure.
Best is to improve the rate of production of Tejas MK1A , maybe add another 40 to the order over time. And keep buying batches of Rafale as and when funds are available.
Meanwhile focus on MWF so as to have a solution to replace Mirage 2000, Mig29UPG and Jaguar Darin 3 starting late 2028-29s.
And then have a separate dedicated program to have AMCA flying atleast by 2025-26 in prototype form.
I guess since IAC-3 is going to be significantly delayed, India should do MWF first and later do Super MWF.
Highly doubt. AMCA is for 2030s.
Yep. And we need 3 squadrons of Su-57 post 2025. Our Super MKIs and Rafales won't be able to compete with newer versions of J-20. It's because a competitive version of AMCA will take up to 2040 to become available.
The article is actually referring to a HAL-designed ORCA for the IAF and not the ADA-designed TEDBF for the IN. ORCA is designed to kill MMRCA.
Hopefully the stage 2 engine tests are good. And we should get our own AESA on it. And with a decent EW system , it should be good enough.
Wasn't the rafael litening pod tested on mk1? I mean IRST is basically just souped up FLIR (targetting pods) with the ability to mark and track the targets.
Shouldn't be difficult to add. But that won't serve the purpose for a dedicated irst sensor.
A full Russian solution except pods and weapons will be the best move, like the Rafale GTG. Or else we will have to pay for something we can't afford and it won't work very well in the end. Anyway this is a discussion for the future. Nothing's gonna happen now.
The ASRAAM's sensor can be integrated with the central computer to provide some IRST function. MICA does that on Rafale.
Nopes, it's superior to BLK2. GE404 and it's airframe will generate much higher sortie rates, Compared to RD93 and all metal JF17.
It's weapons load, it's sensor suite, all are better than JF17.
Only thing where FOC MK1 lacks will be Air to Ground , compared to JF17. JF17 can fire C802, Tejas should have had integrated the KH35 but nothing.
The First and Foremost Requirement is
An Effective BARCAP to.prevent the enemy from sneaking in
For Air to Ground we have
Jaguars and Mirage 2000
Even Hawks are being modified for CAS
Su 30 and Rafale are BOMB TRUCKS
carrying tonnes of Bombs
As we saw from Feb 27, even the Timely arrival of MIG 21s can force the enemy to retreat