Indian Air Force to order Light Combat Aircraft
Rahul Bedi JDW Correspondent
New Delhi
The Indian Air Force (IAF) will shortly order 20 locally designed Light Combat Aircraft ( LCA) from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for R20 billion ($444.4 million) with an option for a similar number, according to India’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal (ACM) S P Tyagi.
ACM Tyagi told reporters in February that the first fly-by-wire LCA, named Tejas and powered by the General Electric F404-GE-F2J3 engine, will be delivered to the IAF in 2008. The aircraft is due to enter squadron service between 2010 and 2012.
He said the IAF has asked the Aeronautical Development Agency responsible for the LCA to speed up the programme, already more than a decade behind schedule. Three LCA technological demonstrators have collectively logged 357 sorties following the aircraft’s maiden flight in January 2001.
The first twin-seat LCA should be ready within the next 18 months.
LCA Project Director M R Ramanathan said the 8.5-ton LCA’s seventh prototype, a twin-seat trainer, would begin flying by March 2006. The aircraft is then due to have its weapon systems installed. Its maximum speed should be enhanced to Mach 1.8 from the current Mach 1.4.
Ramanathan added that development of the LCA’s naval variant, for which R6 billion has been allocated, has already started.
ACM Tyagi regretted the delay in developing the Kaveri turbofan engine, which will eventually replace the US-made F404 turbofan. This work is being done by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Gas Turbine and Research Establishment at Bangalore. He added that the organisation has assured the IAF that the Kaveri is “on track” and would be integrated with the LCA.
The Kaveri has undergone several tests at the Central Institute of Aviation Motors in Moscow. Once sanctions imposed by the US following India’s 1998 nuclear tests were lifted in October 2001, HAL bought 40 GE F404 engines for the LCA. These supplement 11 power plants acquired earlier.
ACM Tyagi said the IAF’s issuing of a request for information involving 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) is not related to delays in the LCA programme. “We need different aircraft in the air force fleet for different tasks,” he said.
The IAF is considering the Lockheed Martin F-16, Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-5, Saab Gripen and Russian Aircraft Corporation (RSK) MiG-29. The IAF chief said that the MRCA selection would not be unduly delayed like the acquisition of 66 Hawk advanced jet trainers completed in late 2003, which took nearly two decades to finalise.
A solid datapoint with respect to price: 20 a/c for $444.4 million. (Four sig figs 😀 )
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