India HAL Tejas Program

[Windchime]

Philippines ordered the Brahmos missile and is keen on buying it for use by the air force for the marine strike role. Given that it is integrated on Tejas Mk1A, Mk1A is of interest. Whether the PAF would accept the set up, training and infrastructure costs to support a sub-fleet of dozen Mk1A simply to obtain access to air-launched Brahmos is questionable.

Philippines' top priority was always the MRF program, and F-16V was always the most preferred option. They leaned towards Gripen for cost reasons, but in typical fashion that deal never went through, and now those same Gripens are nearing closer and closer to Ukraine as the Swedes are considefing their newest aid package, rather than Philippines.

Their other long standing option is additional FA-50. They've already shown intentions to buy more, and priorities between additional LCA and MRF have long been a matter of debate, and what the PAF make their mind up about.

So if Gripen indeed gets sold, it's either F-16V or FA-50.

 

[Spitfire9]

So, you think that getting an airborne platform for Brahmos is not on?

I think that HAL needs to find a modest little order from, say, an African country to learn how to stick to a timeline on delivery, how to provide proper spares support. One such order will highlight weaknesses that it needs to address before it can become a pukka exporter.

 

[Nilgiri]

Three Mk1A sales prospects have surfaced recently...

Argentina, which selected used F-16 for its next fighter, appears to have revived its interest in Tejas Mk1A (according to idrw.com). If true - idrw.com reports often prove to be untrue - there is a very outside chance of Argentina ordering. The problem is that British content (ejection seat, refuelling probe, radar radome) will need to be replaced and the cost and delay in doing so makes the proposition look impractical and uneconomic to me.

Philippines ordered the Brahmos missile and is keen on buying it for use by the air force for the marine strike role. Given that it is integrated on Tejas Mk1A, Mk1A is of interest. Whether the PAF would accept the set up, training and infrastructure costs to support a sub-fleet of dozen Mk1A simply to obtain access to air-launched Brahmos is questionable.

Armenia is looking to boost its defences and is reported to be interested in Tejas Mk1A.

Azerbaijan's JF-17 Deal – Will Armenia Counter with Rafale or LCA-Tejas Purchase?

The Caucasus region, a volatile crossroads between Europe and Asia, is once again experiencing a shift in its delicate power dynamics. Azerbaijan's potential acquisition of advanced JF-17 Thunder...

defence.in

Could Armenia rely on HAL delivering Mk1A on time?

The production rate and delivery rate to IAF has to first be proven at ~24 per year at least (3 production lines at 8 per year each)....before this can be increased to 4th production line capacity with say exports in mind.

 

[Spitfire9]

The production rate and delivery rate to IAF has to first be proven at ~24 per year at least (3 production lines at 8 per year each)....before this can be increased to 4th production line capacity with say exports in mind.

HAL upped FAL capacity to 8 frames a year around 2016 IIRC. A second line was commissioned 2021, giving FAL capacity of 16 frames a year. Currently 2 frames are scheduled for delivery by end March this year. 8 deliveries are scheduled in 2024/2025 financial year, 16 in 2025/2026 financial year and later years. If Nashik FAL is commissioned in 2025, I think that the production rate could reach 24 per year 2027 onwards.

A 4th assembly line for exports some time later? On that basis I suspect that Argentina will go for F-16 and Philippines will select F-16 or Gripen E.

 

[Nilgiri]

I think so. Along with 7 mk1 trainers.

According to source talking to Jane's:

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is preparing the first two units of the improved Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk 1A for delivery to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in March.


A source in HAL told Janes that the company aims to deliver the first two aircraft by 31 March. “The IAF has requested the handover of at least one Mk 1A aircraft before this date,” the source said.


HAL was awarded the contract to produce 83 LCA Mk 1A (including 73 single-seat and 10 two-seat trainers) aircraft in January 2021. As per the contract, HAL was originally scheduled to deliver the first single-seat aircraft in February, with a total of three Mk 1As to be delivered in 2024.


“The production of the first two LCA Mk 1A aircraft is almost complete, and we need to ensure that all systems, parts, and components of the aircraft pass inspections in preparation for the handover to the IAF,” the source said.


Janes understands that HAL is working to avoid a potential rejection of the aircraft by the IAF because of a production defect, however minor. “We are trying to ensure that the aircraft will pass the final inspection,” the HAL source said.

HAL prepares first two Tejas Mk 1As for delivery to IAF

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is preparing the first two units of the improved Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk 1A for delivery to the Indian Air Force (IAF)...

www.janes.com

 

[Zapper]

 

[dBSPL]

Hal Tejas on Martin Baker's advertising poster

 

[Rodeo]

Is there an early report or official speculation on the crash? It looks surprisingly stable for a newly ejected aircraft. I wonder if the pilot was too hasty with the ejection command.

 

[Nilgiri]

Is there an early report or official speculation on the crash? It looks surprisingly stable for a newly ejected aircraft. I wonder if the pilot was too hasty with the ejection command.

Will have to wait for the official report to come later. The pilot was apparently saying there were engine problems before this emergency landing....it could be any number of things that required an ejection that was going on at the time, we can't tell from the footage.

 

[Gessler]

Is there an early report or official speculation on the crash? It looks surprisingly stable for a newly ejected aircraft. I wonder if the pilot was too hasty with the ejection command.

Initial reports seem to indicate engine failure. I'm guessing there wasn't enough energy or altitude left in whatever state the plane was in before the engine failed to glide it to an open space or attempt a recovery.

It was close to a built-up area so I guess the pilot decided we won't make it unless he punches out ASAP (looking at the state of the crashed plane, he was right).

I guess the FCC was still doing whatever it can to keep the plane stable with whatever auxiliary power it had in the system. But at that altitude, I reckon that's all it could do.

 

[Iskander]

From the very beginning I have been following the development and production of the Russian 5th generation fighter. It is known that India joined this project and even financed it. Later, the Indians stated that the T50 (SU57) did not meet the requirements of a 5th generation fighter and stopped cooperation with the Russians.
It was very interesting for me to watch all this. To be honest, I don't know how all this is interpreted in India. How did Russia evaluate India's participation in this project? Therefore, I decided to present here one article and comments on this topic. Perhaps this will be of interest to our Indian colleagues.

https://topwar.ru/235441-su-57-tancor-disko-pjatogo-pokolenija.html

 

[Nilgiri]

How did Russia evaluate India's participation in this project?

Someone to frontload lot of costs on (they tried to shake us down for 7 billion USD suddenly) to really spread risk optimally from their side. India did not get good deal from this sudden request (bad experiences already on cost escalation on the gorskhov carrier refurbish etc) that altered the original agreement.

Hence India made correct decision to leave it, Su-57 would be too much cost injected for what India got out of it in workshare and RnD development.

Actually you should watch perun recent video on larger issue and situation Russia is increasingly in w.r.t India, China and other traditional markets:

 

[Gessler]

Teasing the first Tejas Mk-1A...

According to reliable journalists, the low-speed taxi trials on the first Mk-1A airframe are completed. Status of high-speed taxiing is not known...but either way, a first flight is expected pretty soon.

 

[Zapper]

Teasing the first Tejas Mk-1A...

View attachment 66842

According to reliable journalists, the low-speed taxi trials on the first Mk-1A airframe are completed. Status of high-speed taxiing is not known...but either way, a first flight is expected pretty soon.

Will Uttam AESA be integrated from the 40th jet onwards?

 

[Gessler]

Will Uttam AESA be integrated from the 40th jet onwards?

I don't know the exact number, but yes Uttam will become operational on the Mk-1A production run.

 

[Gessler]

Teasing the first Tejas Mk-1A...

View attachment 66842

According to reliable journalists, the low-speed taxi trials on the first Mk-1A airframe are completed. Status of high-speed taxiing is not known...but either way, a first flight is expected pretty soon.

It seems the IAF's standard Tipnis Grey was applied since that ^^ photo was taken.

First pics from the Mk-1A's high-speed taxi trials:

Quite a few differences in fitments are already apparent compared to the original Mk-1:

One of the new additions seems to be the BNET Software Defined Radio (SDR) kit for voice & data-link. The RWR sensor on the tailfin also seems to have been moved, though it's not clear where it's new position is.

The bigger change of course is the inclusion of a new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) fire control radar, which is going to be the Elta EL/M-2052 initially, and later move to the indigenous Uttam Mk.2 (which has completed its testing phase on a Hawker 800 FTB & will be entering production phase soon):

 

[Gessler]

Credits in pic:

 

[Gessler]

First Mk-1A is flying!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1773267229821268175

 

[Gessler]

 

[Zapper]