The Indian government told Parliament today that “deficiencies have been detected in the airframe and other associated equipment of the [LCA Navy]. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working out modalities with various organisations for rectifying these deficiencies by suitable modifications to the engine/airframe design.” Read my recent update on the LCA Navy here.
If it flies and fires, it is good enough. The pandas and pakistanis have flown planes like Karakorum which used to give massive vibrations when you touched supersonic speeds. Still the pandas put up with it and even exported it and now progressed to better homegrown models. What makes our aviators throw tantrums? If it is less capable just make up with numbers.
Even yanks make do with their f18 which has yuck TWR by compensating with better electronics and more numbers and improving flaws with bandages.
Hey Aroor, Honestly do u think they will get the LCA ready be4 it becomes obsolete?
The next question is would it meet the originally slated parameters?
I have been visiting many forums and I hate to read stuff like the LCA is 1.5 tonnes heavier and there is nothing we can do abt it OR it cant achieve AoA greater than 20 degrees – it can pull greater than 6G- revised ASR not met bla bla bla.
After 28 years of spending tax money its seems like it would be better to scrap it than to ram it down the navy and air forces throat.
Please provide some insight on the above issues if possible.Thank you.
donnt u think we shuld FIRST worry abt getting the LCA to fly in large numbers in the airforce rather than abt the LCA NAVY!!
Hi Verone,
My 2 cents here.
First, the article is on the LCA navy. LCA airforce is on it's way to IOC and induction for FOC.
LCA navy the deficiencies is identified and is worked upon. The navy is backing the project.
Our scientists are ready to make the necessary changes where needed.
Yes, there are slippages and understood, hope to see it on time and ready when the carrier is.
I agree with the first blogger's comments. I mean, if IAF/IN can fly antiquated and defective russian jets and send hundreds of young men to their deaths, what's the big deal with killing a few more with our very own LCA? So… continue with LCA development/induction no matter how prolonged and costly. And yes… RAM it down the throats of IAF/IN.
Actually I love the fact that our forces are so picky. Itll help the DRDO improve. I believe this phase is just growth pains. Once DRDO's technologies and development processes mature, they'll deliver much better stuff but they need some tough love from their partners to get work out of them.
If the forces settle for substandard stuff, they will have to accept such stuff all the time and thats not what we want
Hi Shiv,
Any idea about the revised timelines (if any) for the N-LCA?
Moreover, more details on the type of "deficiencies" w.r.t. engine/ airframe?
As a person who has first hand information regarding work done on one of the crucial pieces of hardware required for a carrier borne aircaft I say this…
The guys at HAL and the way they approach the problem… its pathetic… They don't realise its an aircraft, hence you need to optimise it for least weight. They're happy doing sloppy work. On top of that, when their mistakes are pointed out, they are quite arrogant in their attitude.
Talk to any outsider who has dealt with the kind of people in HAL. there are some smart guys there… but VERY rare.
Totally agree mate, I see that Indians are usually very bad at management (apart from the IIT and IIM's). Anyways the next issue is the arrogance that we flaunt while being corrected. Check out how we reacted when we were corrected during the commonwealth games inspection.
I do not deny there are smart indians, afcuz there are but all that is in vain when its not managed and focussed properly. Same goes for those smarties trying to build the LCA.
By the way its good the army and Navy are being picky.