The IAF will shortly place an order with HAL for eight LCA Tejas twin-seat trainers, powered by the current GE-F404-IN20 engine. Therefore, the force will operate a total of 28 fighters (including the first batch of 20 single-seaters) with the current engine, the one that is unsuitable for any follow-on fighters since it doesn’t provide enough thrust. The first twenty fighters will begin delivery by 2011. But following this, the production line will lie vacant for upto 12 months for HAL to re-tool and reconfigure its facilities to produce the LCA with a new and more powerful engine (possible the Eurojet or another). The IAF’s rationale is that it doesn’t really need an initial tranche of trainers powered by an uprated engine. Therefore, HAL can use the idling time between the two engine configurations, to build eight trainers powered by the IN20 itself.
I really hope that this does not become another Arjun.
Finggys crossed
Its my Name sake 😀
thats not the case that the production line will be vacant for a year. if deliveries shd start for the 28 planes by 2011 it will take at least 1.5 to 2 years for all units to be delivered. in the mean time HAL would already have fitted and tested the new engine and the gap may be at most 6 months
thats not the case that the production line will be vacant for a year. if deliveries shd start for the 28 planes by 2011 it will take at least 1.5 to 2 years for all units to be delivered. in the mean time HAL would already have fitted and tested the new engine and the gap may be at most 6 months
I am looking forward to first flight of Tejas trainer. There is nothing IAF can crib about trainer. It is better choice than £1bn Hawk.
looks like our macha shiv has got a offer from eurofigter for a free ride in exchange for glorifying typhoon and a LCA with a eurojet……hehe
looks like our macha shiv has got a offer from eurofigter for a free ride in exchange for glorifying typhoon and a LCA with a eurojet……hehe
That’s actually pretty sensible.
"the current engine, the one that is unsuitable for any follow-on fighters since it doesn't provide enough thrust"
Strong words. The F404 IN20 is not exactly an underperformer in the fighter jet engine market. The current Tejas LSP is a sprightly performer as you will shortly see at the airshow. Although the alternative engine is likely to provide a bit more thrust, and thus probably increase ITR / STR slightly, R&E is bound to suffer, which IMHO is not worth it in these BVR days.
BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!the PHALCON will debut at the airshow.
IAF have many kind of jets which has brought from abroad , but we don’t really proud of it . Naturally we could be happy / proud in our home grown weapons only. but tejus had taken hardly more than 2 decades with more than 60 % of the items have purchased from other countries, but i wonder what they really doing in research dept.