HAL LCA Tejas: Updates, News & Discussions

[indushek]

HAL can do more. But we are getting Sam uncled..
only 16 f404 per year.

Shows that our guys weren't far sighted, like they have tried to be with F414.

Hornet/Gripen (Sweden)/Red Hawk Trainer/T-5 (Korea)/Tejas (India)

Above are the users of F404, and GE would have agreed to supply based on requirements pre Covid. With supply chain disruption of materials, being faced by every single Industry .. the delay of supply of Engine is to be expected. So the point is its not Uncle Sam'd, its about far sightedness. GE has no monetary gains to set up a new facility, unless there is a firm additional number.

Had India asked for a local production of F404, similar to F414 by now perhaps the local supply of materials would have kicked in. Even for F414 its said that, the local supply of production related material will take about five to six years. Given our performance levels, we can safely say a decade or so. So another lost opportunity overall, as were a local facility been setup GE's supply woes would mean we chipping in and making some buck as well.

So till GE gets on track with its production, LCA Mk1A will suffer.

I wish someone could chitrol whoever stopped funding of Kaveri

 

[MirageBlue]

France is developing the next version of Rafales, which will be ready by the time Tejas MK2 enters production.

So what? The Rafale F5 will still remain a 4.5 gen fighter, albeit with some very advanced capabilities and a very large sticker price as well.

 

[MirageBlue]

Are we sure he wasn’t BS-ing for local audiences?

He had no reason to. In fact, he should have been alarmist to get the GoI to loosen it's purse strings and hasten the MRFA, which even during ACM Dhanoa's time, was going nowhere.

The fact that he downplayed the threat of the J-20 instead of lamenting how advanced it was and how the IAF would have to manage with just 36 un-inducted Rafales, (Rafales hadn't been inducted during his tenure) says a lot.

 

[MirageBlue]

Indeed, Even US will be replacing old F16s with modern V-Vipers. 4.5gen isn't going anywhere.

and F-15X which are firmly 4.5 gen fighters, even with the very advanced avionics and radar.

 

[Oscar]

He had no reason to. In fact, he should have been alarmist to get the GoI to loosen it's purse strings and hasten the MRFA, which even during ACM Dhanoa's time, was going nowhere.

The fact that he downplayed the threat of the J-20 instead of lamenting how advanced it was and how the IAF would have to manage with just 36 un-inducted Rafales, (Rafales hadn't been inducted during his tenure) says a lot.

Or assuaging concerns?

 

[vkdindian]

BS Dhanoa had explained in the said interview, as to why J20, wasn’t as capable as claimed by the Chinese.

If I remember it correctly, then it was due to canards that result in a platform loosing true stealth capabilities.

No wonder even the Chinese are working on a platform without canards to get true (or better) stealth capabilities.
How much more, can be only a guess, since Chinese keep their data secret and J20s don’t fly outside to be gauged by others.

 

[kaku]

Shows that our guys weren't far sighted, like they have tried to be with F414.

Hornet/Gripen (Sweden)/Red Hawk Trainer/T-5 (Korea)/Tejas (India)

Above are the users of F404, and GE would have agreed to supply based on requirements pre Covid. With supply chain disruption of materials, being faced by every single Industry .. the delay of supply of Engine is to be expected. So the point is its not Uncle Sam'd, its about far sightedness. GE has no monetary gains to set up a new facility, unless there is a firm additional number.

Had India asked for a local production of F404, similar to F414 by now perhaps the local supply of materials would have kicked in. Even for F414 its said that, the local supply of production related material will take about five to six years. Given our performance levels, we can safely say a decade or so. So another lost opportunity overall, as were a local facility been setup GE's supply woes would mean we chipping in and making some buck as well.

So till GE gets on track with its production, LCA Mk1A will suffer.

I wish someone could chitrol whoever stopped funding of Kaveri

If they asked for F404 local production, and Mk1A depended on it, firstly cost gone up, then we would had to wait for 2026-27. Why Indians are so obsessed with making everything in India?

F414 ToT is not because you want to supply engines for Tejas Mk2. But to get know-how and know-why for mass production of 3rd-4th gen engine.

 

[kaku]

Or assuaging concerns?

IAF have a tendency to downplay threats we are facing from Pakistan (F-16 Block 52, or in future if Block 70 happen), and overplay Chinese threats. There are also psycological reasons for that.

 

[Yasser76]

36/ per year they can achieve.

The highest they have done is 6 in a year I think. Admire the optimism

 

[Yasser76]

Rest of the world is not the Indian concern. Indian concern is immediate neighbourhood.

And we know, what we have in the neighbourhood.

This makes no sense, especially when "the neighbourhood" has stealth or will be inducting them very soon.

 

[JaneBhiDoYaaron]

Are we sure he wasn’t BS-ing for local audiences?

Could be possible if India has detected something on LAC which is why he is speaking or we will wait till Chinese stealth are involved in realtime war like F35 has been.

 

[Yasser76]

16 Jets a year will mean it will take 10 years to fufill all MK1A orders? Assuming deliveries start in 2025, you are looking at 2035 before completion.....and that is assuming HAL can stick to timelines, may be nearer 2040.....

 

[onlinpunit]

16 Jets a year will mean it will take 10 years to fufill all MK1A orders? Assuming deliveries start in 2025, you are looking at 2035 before completion.....and that is assuming HAL can stick to timelines, may be nearer 2040.....

That will make you happy !! Enjoy !

 

[onlinpunit]

The highest they have done is 6 in a year I think. Admire the optimism

With one Production line. Now they have three.

 

[Oscar]

Could be possible if India has detected something on LAC which is why he is speaking or we will wait till Chinese stealth are involved in realtime war like F35 has been.

LO or stealth doesn’t mean you cannot pick something up - it just means you’re going to pick up very very late.