HAL LCA Tejas: Updates, News & Discussions

[DDG-80]

On the first flight of the LCA Mark 1A aircraft in Bengaluru today, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Chairman Ananthakrishnan says, "This is a big step today and it will help us to move towards the delivery of the aircraft to the Indian Air Force… We are also looking to deliver one more LCA trainer aircraft to the IAF before March 31. We have already delivered four trainer-version aircraft to them."

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[Migflug]

So how come more countries aren’t launching space rockets? Especially as the commercialization of space accelerates and even the private sector is investing billions in this sector?

TBF making rockets is definitely easier and not to take anything away from ISRO, what they are currently flying is decades behind USA or USSR. But what is great about ISRO is even if the technology is not cutting edge, they keep improving on it, while carrying out the development of newer technologies in the sidelines. Most important is that the end consumer of ISRO products is basically ISRO and government of India, so even if there is a delay they can better hide it unlike HAL/DRDO/ADA whose end customer are the military forces.
For example the ISRO has been in the development of semi-cryogenic engine for more than a decade and have recently test fired it. That too when they were supposedly getting help from Ukraine, and now that the engine is so late, it would be basically outdated when it comes online. The general public will never know much about it as they can still launch their satellites using very basic technologies they have been using so far, but any space enthusiast can easily point out the inefficiency of those launchers. Recently, they have started working on developing Methalox engines which will be finally used in the reusable launchers they plan to develop by early 30s. Now even if they are late or not able to develop the reusable rockets in the stated timeframe, no one will blame them, as they can easily use either the current technology or the Semi-cryogenic engine they have recently tested(should be mature by then) by aggregating them together or in various configurations. Since they already have very cheap labour force along with tried and tested basic launchers which they have perfected in various iterations, the cost is never an issue for them. Even with the reusable rockets of SpaceX, they are competitive with them on pure cost basis as of today. But it won't stay forever, if they fail to make reusable rockets.

Same luxury is not available to DRDO/HAL/ADA, whose each project is basically use on the borders and each delay cost lives/massive cost over-runs and are thus easily highlighted. Moreover, they have to deal with the persistent change in requirements by the end users aka military along with various Babus/MoD/delay in sanction of project & its money. The end users are don't want a slightly inferior products when they can easily buy the best from the outside. Hence a lot of inter department rivalries/lack of coordination results in delays by ADA/HAL/DRDO.

 

[Migflug]

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[Han Patriot]

So how come more countries aren’t launching space rockets? Especially as the commercialization of space accelerates and even the private sector is investing billions in this sector?

Apply the same logic and ask how come not many countries are building jet fighters? Building an airframe is one thing, building an aircraft engine is another.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Apply the same logic and ask how come not many countries are building jet fighters? Building an airframe is one thing, building an aircraft engine is another.

You should know.

 

[Oscar]

The cost is around 440 crore INR per aircraft, including weaponry, PBL and infrastructure development for it on airbases.

310 crore in vanilla price.

So around 40 million USD is flyaway cost, 55 million USD final price.

That’s great but I meant the delta because of the changes

 

[kaku]

That’s great but I meant the delta because of the changes

I am right now unable to find that poster.
But what I remember, IOC cost 210 crore, FOC cost 270 crore. Mk1A around 310 crore, and Mk2 expected to cost 500 crore.

 

[suriya]

Sorry, but I see no changes to the front canopy?!

Back canapy more bulbous.

 

[MirageBlue]

What a beauty!

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[MirageBlue]

Another lovely shot that gives a good idea of the changes in the Tejas Mk1A over the Mk1

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[Ali_Baba]

Is the cockpit the same? Or - have they adopted a Single Large Area display for the the Mk1A ?

 

[DevendraRajput]

For example the ISRO has been in the development of semi-cryogenic engine for more than a decade and have recently test fired it. That too when they were supposedly getting help from Ukraine, and now that the engine is so late, it would be basically outdated when it comes online.

This is simply laughable. The most popular engine used in launch is from 50-70s.

 

[DevendraRajput]

Apply the same logic and ask how come not many countries are building jet fighters? Building an airframe is one thing, building an aircraft engine is another.

Because, most countries do not face massive war threat and honestly, jet fighters have no use beside fighting wars.

Space rockets have increasingly important commercial use, unlike fighter jets.

 

[DevendraRajput]

I can’t help but compare and contrast the nearly 4 decades it took for this program to mature versus the incredible speed the Turks have developed their TFX KAAN & aviation systems. India has a long way to go but the lessons learned from the LCA program should help accelerate other aviation programs, if not, HAL should be broken apart and privatized.

Do remember KAAN is no where near completion and even fundamental stealth validation, something India already did. All they have done is having the first flight which is a very visible step but does not guarentee completion. Tejas had its first flight in early 2000s.

As they say, it aint done till the fat lady sings.

 

[JaneBhiDoYaaron]

Do remember KAAN is no where near completion and even fundamental stealth validation, something India already did. All they have done is having the first flight which is a very visible step but does not guarentee completion. Tejas had its first flight in early 2000s.

As they say, it aint done till the fat lady sings.

Still you have to applaud execution speed of Turkey. In India we have just too much Babus and HAL works at government speed.

It is pretty much same as even in private corporation, where you have too much middle management and less technical workers slowing things down.