What can be fitted into MK1 airframe will be fitted in MK1A. What can't will be fitted in MK2. It i not that nothing more can be fitted in MK1 while it is not that everything can be fitted either.
LCA Tejas Mk1 & Mk1A - News and discussions
- Thread starter Ashwin
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Man Tejas program has been an absolute clown fiesta. I hope AMCA isn’t like this. But perhaps I’m too optimistic.
this is the age of information. constant changing of info and dates will only get DRDO more and more criticism. ultimately a rejig of the DRDO will happen..and the LCA should be the watershed moment.
the LCA going under the IAF is the first step towards it.
HAL needs to build as many planes as they promise under the contract.
I hope a inquiry is issued as to how extra amount was given to HAL for setting up extra production line when they have failed to deliver even the previously promised numbers.
We talk about level playing field for DPSUs and private entities. Shouldn't they be punished for the delays?
I am willing to bet that even in 2018-2019 the production won't touch 8. Forget the 16.
And why should a coustomer give additional orders when even the previous miniscule order is delayed by decades?
Tejas will get FOC by December 2018. This is optimism.
What you are saying is simply out of the world.
Tejas might turn out a catalyst for Indian Aviation Industry. But its a failure for what it was intended (Beefing up IAF numbers and replacing Migs). And the delays now (and certain delays sure to come) only adds to this. We need to first accept this.
People don't realize that 16 FOC aircraft will start production only after FOC is attained. Say it's done in December 2018, then its not before December 2019 (i am optimistic here) that the first FOC MK1 will come out. You see the delays?
Plus where is MK1A? Forget starting work on 1st prototype of MK1A, we haven't yet even chosen who will be our partner for AESA and EW system. I don't see it (signing of contracts) happening anytime soon, say it happens today, and the companies deliver the things by mid 2019 and HAL start the work on prototypes soon after, the first prototype will still not fly before 2021. Say 2-3 years for completing all the testing. Say production starts in 2024.... 2024, do people reaslise that the last of Migs will already be gone by then...
That's how the schedule was for delivery. It takes a few years to achieve peak production after production starts. They were supposed to deliver the first squadron in a 2.5 year delivery period. Followed by the FOC jets in another 2.5 year delivery period, with a 1-year gap in production between IOC and FOC. The IAF gave as much as 5.75 years for the deliver of IOC and then 5.75 more years for the delivery of FOC after the first orders were placed. So production was expected to happen from April 2006 all the way to Dec 2016 (when the last jet is delivered) for the 40 jets.
And the trainers have been delayed anyway. So the actual order book with HAL is only 16 jets. Out of which they have already delivered 10. And the remaining 6 are already in the assembly line. 16 more single seat jets through FOC are yet to be cleared for production. They are hoping that will come in Dec 2018. They have the capacity to produce 19 jets a year while being cleared to produce only 16 jets in total.
Coming to the point, LCA was cleared for production in Dec 2013, I think Jan 2014. Considering the 5.75 year production run, HAL's deadline is September 2019. But they will be delivering the 16 IOC jets many months before the deadline. Whereas the FOC jets will need only 4 years in total. Which means they can deliver another squadron in the 5th year, which will be the Mk1A.
To put that into perspective, we ordered the Rafale in Sept 2016, and their deadline is March 2022 for 36 jets. So even they need 5.5 years for the delivery of 36 jets even with a fully functioning production line with a large backlog of orders. We ordered 42 MKI in early 2010 and took delivery of all 42 by late 2015. That's nearly 5.75 years.
So the criticisms towards HAL's LCA production are entirely misplaced. They are doing pretty well.
Only SP-10 was delayed, rest was delivered on time for last fiscal. Why punish HAL alone? IAF, HAL, ADA, UPA even the US all are responsible for LCA programme delays.
Eg:- Rafale deal was hugely delayed, but we cannot go after every reason out there,can we? But if Dassault fails to deliver the 36 on time (after contract has been signed) then we can go after them. Similarly the last SP20 was supposed to be delivered by 2011 by the contract. And SP17 won't start construction before 2021.
Isn't that a reason enough to punish HAL?
What contract? So contract was signed with HAL even before development was over by ADA or what? Acc. to MoD PDC for LCA was revised to 2012 from 2008 but you're saying HAL was contracted to deliver SP-20 by 2011 even before achieving PDC. Share source.
When was the first contract for 20 IOC aircrafts signed? Around 2006-7. But the Certifucation of Release to Service for the intended configuration was released in January 2011 due to repeated delays in achieving IOC. The year when actually the aircraft were to be delivered.
From the Ministry of Defense Release itself
"20 IOC contract was signed on 31st March 2006 to be completed by December 2011 and 20 FOC contract was signed on 23rd December 2010 to be completed by 2016."
"20 IOC contract was signed on 31st March 2006 to be completed by December 2011 and 20 FOC contract was signed on 23rd December 2010 to be completed by 2016."
So basically production agency got orders more than 6yrs before the development was over, so why blame HAL only.
I have no expectations on the current system ,it will be same till 2019 election after election we will buy new plane and may hope for new manufacturing policies .....till then
.I really hope ,wish and pray that MK 1 A
Becomes successful
Otherwise there will be allegations of a Scam
Which will cause in calculable damage to DRDO
If Mk 1A does well then it would be wondeful, I am not sure where it would fail
But if (god forbid). if we fail then next 3 decades we shall import planes or have foreign maal only
But if (god forbid). if we fail then next 3 decades we shall import planes or have foreign maal only
Give me source to say that integration is going from 2015? Astra missile got Indian seeker only in 2017. Derby and other missile testing began in 2016.
Let us not make up our own things and call them as facts