LCA Tejas Mk1 & Mk1A - News and discussions
- Thread starter Ashwin
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Was there any major change demanded, other than the one about the canopy? IAF should settle its list of demands already, these planes are anyhow meant for air defense/interception and maybe a bit of CAS; the need of the hour is to start pumping these out in big numbers now.
No. He's only rejecting criticism that the LCA's requirements have changed many times by the IAF as the reason for the delay.
SP14 First flight - 19th Jan, 2019
SP13 First flight - 30th Jan, 2019
Good days ahead?
It's finally acche din? @randomradioView attachment 4254
SP14 First flight - 19th Jan, 2019
SP13 First flight - 30th Jan, 2019
Good days ahead?
Mk 1 counts for nothing
At Best , it can do CAP , or provide Close Air Support to ground forces for a limited period and distance
We need MK 1 A to succeed , otherwise
There will be no support to LCA programme
Mk 1 will be capped at 40 ,
MK 2 is an unknown entity , just Computer Models
It is expected that HAL will deliver the first squadron by March. And the next squadron by June next year.
SP14 came from main assembly line while SP13 was from second one (with annual capacity of 3).
So its not like that the speed has increased, if that's what you mean by good days.
Heck, HAL is even using SP6 , which should have been with IAF to complete all the remaining test points for FOC.
Important FOC parameters like BVR etc has been completed and documents to manufacture the FOC specification has been handed over to HAL. It only means that, coz the important milestones have been completed, so no design changes will be needed. But still not all test points have been completed, and its important for IAF that ADA/HAL complete and prove all the test points for FOC.
In short it will replace 1 squadron of Mig21 by March. IA anyway needs air support and patrolling at borders.
Plus BVR only needs software upgradation, so I think 20+20 MK1 will be able to do task of 2.5 squadron of Mig21, right ?
Anyway it's good news that 16 SPs will be delivered/completed by March/April and MK1 will be fully integrated with other IAF jets.
And I have another theory
It is that IAF has been asked to make plans
On the Basis of No Tejas Mk 1 A
AND No Mk 2 , Coming to the IAF
There is a post of ACAS ( Plans ) in the IAF
Which was part of the Indian Negotiating Team for Rafale deal
Why would IAF have a ACAS for planning
If he could not imagine all possible scenarios
Now just 3 days back DM Sitaraman was
Saying " IAF needs 600 planes " when she
Was asked why was Rafale order reduced in size
She also said that MMRCA 2 .0
And Tejas would fill up the numbers
Now IAF has been badly hurt by waiting for
Tejas
It is NOT possible that when they need so many new planes , they would be making plans Only around Tejas
So what are the choices they have in hand
Right now
Just Su 30 and Rafale
Su 30 will easily go much higher in numbers
And if MK 1 A and MK 2 also flop , then expect 500 Su 30
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I believe that if we don't get an FOC for Mk1 by this year end , the production for Mk1a doesn't kick off by 2021 & the designs of the LCA Mk2 / MCA aren't frozen with work on a prototype commencing before 2022, you can expect an international tender for 200 MRCA which will be different from the MMRCA.
This was the original plan actually.
We were supposed to have two separate competitions for 200 jets each, Gripen/F-16 on one side and Rafale/Mig-35/SH/Typhoon on the other.
FGFA will come into the picture instead.
If that happens, we will have a Gripen vs F-16 competition.
That's still Plan B contingent on the progress the various iterations of the Tejas make.